California College of the Arts vs. Paul Smith's College

Comparable Facts

Compare California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA with Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science in Paul Smiths, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California College of the Arts is larger than Paul Smith's College based on total student enrollment (1,308 students vs. 948 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science is in Paul Smiths, NY (Distant Rural setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science 12:1.

California College of the Arts vs. Paul Smith's College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Paul Smith's College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science than California College of the Arts ($28,443 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science are 35.6% lower than at California College of the Arts ($14,236 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 82.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Paul Smith's College (about $27,217 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $33,009.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 82.5% higher at California College of the Arts than at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science (about $27,217 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $33,009.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science than at California College of the Arts (100% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 43.4% larger than aid received by Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science students ($32,953 vs. $22,973).

California College of the Arts vs. Paul Smith's College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of the Arts or Paul Smith's College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Paul Smith's College and California College of the Arts.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Paul Smith's College - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Paul Smith's College (2.8).
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Paul Smith's College (76.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 18.8% at Paul Smith's College.

California College of the Arts vs. Paul Smith's College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and Paul Smith's College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• California College of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science's (37%).
• Graduates from California College of the Arts earn a median of about $6,800 more per year than Paul Smith's College graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,500 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science graduates have a $3,000 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($25,000 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, Paul Smith's College graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($258 vs. $289).
• More Paul Smith's College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.