CalArts vs. Laguna College of Art and Design

Should I go to California Institute of the Arts or Laguna College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CalArts or Laguna College of Art and Design is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California Institute of the Arts vs. Laguna College of Art and Design comparison
California Institute of the Arts Laguna College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
California Institute of the Arts
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Overview

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
Location Valencia, CA Laguna Beach, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,440 760
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calarts.edu lagunacollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
Tuition (In State) $54,440 $34,600
Tuition (Out of State) $54,440 $34,600
Room & Board $12,446 $16,991
Avg Net Price $55,225 $42,896
Avg Grant Aid $20,474 $11,841
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 99%

Admission

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,120 361
Admitted 525 319
Acceptance Rate 24.8% 88.4%
Enrolled % 36% 36.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.69
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
Graduation Rate 65% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $40,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,500 $26,699
Median Loan Payment $294 $276

Diversity

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
% Men 38% 26%
% Women 62% 74%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 50%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 15% 19%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 8% 8%

Students

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
% In-State 32% 65%
% Out-of-State 38% 29%

Campus

CalArts Laguna College of Art and Design
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California Institute of the Arts is larger than than Laguna College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (1,440 students vs. 760 students)

CalArts vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or Laguna College of Art and Design?

  • California Institute of the Arts is 57.3% more expensive to attend than Laguna College of Art and Design for in-state tuition ($54,440.00 vs. $34,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.3% higher at CalArts than Laguna College of Art and Design ($54,440.00 vs. $34,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Laguna College of Art and Design than CalArts ($42,896 vs. $55,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 36.5% lower than costs at Laguna College of Art and Design ($12,446 vs. $16,991)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Laguna College of Art and Design than California Institute of the Arts (99% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 72.9% larger than aid received Laguna College of Art and Design ($20,474 vs. $11,841)

CalArts vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or Laguna College of Art and Design? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Laguna College of Art and Design or CalArts .

  • Laguna College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than CalArts (24.8%)

CalArts vs. Laguna College of Art and Design Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CalArts or Laguna College of Art and Design? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Laguna College of Art and Design and CalArts.

  • The graduation rate at CalArts is higher than Laguna College of Art and Design (65% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn on average $10,300 more per year than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $40,100)
  • Laguna College of Art and Design students graduate with a $1,801 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($26,699 vs. $28,500)
  • Laguna College of Art and Design graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($276 vs. $294)
  • More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Laguna College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 61%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/