California College of the Arts vs. San Francisco State

Comparable Facts

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

San Francisco State University is larger than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (22,563 students vs. 1,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); San Francisco State University is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. San Francisco State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; San Francisco State University 19:1.

California College of the Arts vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State University than California College of the Arts ($13,168 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California College of the Arts are 0.8% lower than at San Francisco State University ($22,099 vs. $22,266).
• California College of the Arts is 657.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Francisco State (about $52,276 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $7,950.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 193.1% higher at California College of the Arts than at San Francisco State University (about $39,676 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $20,550.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of the Arts than at San Francisco State University (96% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 153.6% larger than aid received by San Francisco State University students ($32,953 vs. $12,996).

California College of the Arts vs. San Francisco State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of the Arts or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State and California College of the Arts.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSan Francisco State University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; San Francisco State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: San Francisco State Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at San Francisco State (3.31).
• San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than California College of the Arts (91.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 8.6% at San Francisco State.

California College of the Arts vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State University's (46%).
• Graduates from San Francisco State University earn a median of about $9,100 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,600 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Francisco State University graduates have a $10,750 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($17,250 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, San Francisco State graduates have an estimated $111 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($178 vs. $289).
• More San Francisco State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (63% 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.