CalArts vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

Compare California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA with Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California Institute of the Arts is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (1,277 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

CalArts vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or Design Institute of San Diego? 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 Design Institute of San Diego than CalArts ($44,010 vs. $56,239).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 36% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($14,134 vs. $22,086).
• California Institute of the Arts is 101.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Design Institute of San Diego (about $29,696 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $29,300.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 101.4% higher at CalArts than at Design Institute of San Diego (about $29,696 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $29,300.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California Institute of the Arts (100% vs. 95%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 80% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($21,416 vs. $11,901).

CalArts vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or Design Institute of San Diego? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Design Institute of San Diego and CalArts.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CalArts (32.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.9% at CalArts vs. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

CalArts vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and Design Institute of San Diego? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California Institute of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Design Institute of San Diego's (62%).
• Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn a median of about $11,500 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,400 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California Institute of the Arts graduates have a $12,085 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($28,500 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, CalArts graduates have an estimated $125 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($294 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CalArts students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 64%)

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.