California College of the Arts vs. USW

Comparable Facts

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

California College of the Arts is larger than USW based on total student enrollment (1,308 students vs. 1,130 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); University of the Southwest is in Hobbs, NM (Rural Fringe setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of the Southwest is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; University of the Southwest 21:1.

California College of the Arts vs. USW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or USW? 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 University of the Southwest than California College of the Arts ($17,243 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Southwest are 63.3% lower than at California College of the Arts ($8,100 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 261.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than USW (about $43,556 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $16,670.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 261.3% higher at California College of the Arts than at University of the Southwest (about $43,556 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $16,670.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of the Southwest than at California College of the Arts (99% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 215.8% larger than aid received by University of the Southwest students ($32,953 vs. $10,436).

California College of the Arts vs. USW Admissions comparison

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

• University of the Southwest reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; USW - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.71 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at USW (2.63).

California College of the Arts vs. USW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and USW? 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 University of the Southwest's (18%).
• Graduates from University of the Southwest earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($45,700 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of the Southwest graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($23,500 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, USW graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($242 vs. $289).
• More California College of the Arts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USW students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 47%)

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.