CalArts vs. CCAD

Comparable Facts

Compare California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA with Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California Institute of the Arts is larger than CCAD based on total student enrollment (1,277 students vs. 916 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Columbus College of Art & Design is in Columbus, OH (Large City setting).
• California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Columbus College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; Columbus College of Art & Design 10:1.

CalArts vs. CCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or CCAD? 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 Columbus College of Art & Design than CalArts ($31,801 vs. $56,239).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbus College of Art & Design are 19% lower than at California Institute of the Arts ($11,450 vs. $14,134).
• California Institute of the Arts is 44.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCAD (about $18,171 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $40,825.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 44.5% higher at CalArts than at Columbus College of Art & Design (about $18,171 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $40,825.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbus College of Art & Design than at California Institute of the Arts (100% vs. 95%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Columbus College of Art & Design students is 7.4% larger than aid received by California Institute of the Arts students ($23,000 vs. $21,416).

CalArts vs. CCAD Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or CCAD? 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 CCAD and CalArts.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Test-free; CCAD - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
• CCAD has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than CalArts (32.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.9% at CalArts vs. 32.1% at CCAD.

CalArts vs. CCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and CCAD? 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 Institute of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Columbus College of Art & Design's (64%).
• Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn a median of about $12,300 more per year than CCAD graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,400 vs. $38,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Columbus College of Art & Design graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than CalArts graduates ($27,000 vs. $28,500).
• Among borrowers, CCAD graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CalArts graduates ($279 vs. $294).
• More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCAD students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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.