CalArts vs. Minerva

Comparable Facts

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

California Institute of the Arts is larger than Minerva based on total student enrollment (1,277 students vs. 669 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Minerva University is in San Francisco, California (Large City setting).
• California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Minerva University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; Minerva University 14:1.

CalArts vs. Minerva Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or Minerva? 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 Minerva University than CalArts ($13,324 vs. $56,239).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 10.3% lower than at Minerva University ($14,134 vs. $15,750).
• California Institute of the Arts is 149.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Minerva (about $35,366 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $23,630.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 149.7% higher at CalArts than at Minerva University (about $35,366 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $23,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Institute of the Arts than at Minerva University (95% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Minerva University students is 5.2% larger than aid received by California Institute of the Arts students ($22,522 vs. $21,416).

CalArts vs. Minerva Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Test-free; Minerva - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
• CalArts has a higher acceptance rate (32.3%) than Minerva (3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.9% at CalArts vs. 43.6% at Minerva.

CalArts vs. Minerva Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and Minerva? 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 is 65%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for Minerva.
• Graduates from California Institute of the Arts have median earnings of about $50,400 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for Minerva.

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.