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California College of the Arts Ringling College of Art and Design Art Center College of Design Juilliard Otis College of Art and Design UCLA Southern California Institute of Technology San Francisco State San Jose State SCAD RISD Cal State LA| California Institute of the Arts | Menlo College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
| Location | Valencia, CA | Atherton, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,353 | 840 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calarts.edu | menlo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $56,074 | $50,190 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $56,074 | $50,190 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,820 | $15,537 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $57,288 | $28,158 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $22,071 | $41,775 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 88% | 100% |
Admission |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,023 | 3,041 | ||
| Admitted | 525 | 2,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 26% | 67.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 33.7% | 8.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Low | ||
| 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, 2026 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 12:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 34% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $53,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 55% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $28,500 | $21,062 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $294 | $217 |
Diversity |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 12% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 29% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 22% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 8% | ||
| % International | 7% | 14% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 9% |
Students |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 32% | 49% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 38% | 22% | ||
Campus |
CalArts | Menlo | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California Institute of the Arts is larger than than Menlo based on total student enrollment (1,353 students vs. 840 students)
CalArts vs. Menlo Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CalArts or Menlo?
- California Institute of the Arts is 11.7% more expensive to attend than Menlo for in-state tuition ($56,074.00 vs. $50,190.00)
- Out of state tuition is 11.7% higher at CalArts than Menlo College ($56,074.00 vs. $50,190.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Menlo College than CalArts ($28,158 vs. $57,288)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 21.2% lower than costs at Menlo College ($12,820 vs. $15,537)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Menlo College than California Institute of the Arts (100% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 89.3% larger than aid received California Institute of the Arts ($41,775 vs. $22,071)
CalArts vs. Menlo Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or Menlo? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Menlo or CalArts .
- Menlo has a higher acceptance rate (67.8%) than CalArts (26%)
CalArts vs. Menlo Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CalArts or Menlo? 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 Menlo and CalArts.
- The graduation rate at CalArts is higher than Menlo College (65% vs. 34%)
- Graduates from Menlo College earn on average $3,500 more per year than CalArts graduates after ten years. ($53,900 vs. $50,400)
- Menlo College students graduate with a $7,438 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($21,062 vs. $28,500)
- Menlo graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($217 vs. $294)
- More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 55%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/