CalArts vs. Musicians Institute

Comparable Facts

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

California Institute of the Arts is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (1,277 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Musicians Institute is in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting).
• California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; Musicians Institute 6:1.

CalArts vs. Musicians Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute than CalArts ($49,657 vs. $56,239).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 36% lower than at Musicians Institute ($14,134 vs. $22,086).
• California Institute of the Arts is 71.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Musicians Institute (about $24,674 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $34,322.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 71.9% higher at CalArts than at Musicians Institute (about $24,674 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $34,322.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Institute of the Arts than at Musicians Institute (95% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 392% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($21,416 vs. $4,353).

CalArts vs. Musicians Institute Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Test-free; Musicians Institute - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
• Musicians Institute has a higher acceptance rate (77.9%) than CalArts (32.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.9% at CalArts vs. 40.6% at Musicians Institute.

CalArts vs. Musicians Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and Musicians Institute? 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).

• Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California Institute of the Arts's (65%).
• Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn a median of about $15,500 more per year than Musicians Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,400 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 53%)

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.