CalArts vs. PAFA

Should I go to California Institute of the Arts or Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CalArts or PAFA 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. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts comparison
California Institute of the Arts Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts College 3 College 4
California Institute of the Arts Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
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Overview

 CalArts PAFA
Location Valencia, CA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,440 172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calarts.edu pafa.org
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CalArts PAFA
Tuition (In State) $54,440 $40,500
Tuition (Out of State) $54,440 $40,500
Room & Board $12,446 $17,512
Avg Net Price $55,225 $48,191
Avg Grant Aid $20,474 $16,087
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 80%

Admission

 CalArts PAFA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,120 183
Admitted 525 167
Acceptance Rate 24.8% 91.3%
Enrolled % 36% 11.4%
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 CalArts PAFA
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

 CalArts PAFA
Graduation Rate 65% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $22,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,500 $26,500
Median Loan Payment $294 $274

Diversity

 CalArts PAFA
% Men 38% 31%
% Women 62% 69%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 61%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

 CalArts PAFA
% In-State 32% 53%
% Out-of-State 38% 42%

Campus

 CalArts PAFA
Campus Housing Yes No
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 PAFA based on total student enrollment (1,440 students vs. 172 students)

CalArts vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or PAFA?

  • California Institute of the Arts is 34.4% more expensive to attend than PAFA for in-state tuition ($54,440.00 vs. $40,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.4% higher at CalArts than Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($54,440.00 vs. $40,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than CalArts ($48,191 vs. $55,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 40.7% lower than costs at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($12,446 vs. $17,512)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than California Institute of the Arts (80% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 27.3% larger than aid received Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($20,474 vs. $16,087)

CalArts vs. PAFA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • PAFA has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than CalArts (24.8%)

CalArts vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CalArts or PAFA? 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 PAFA and CalArts.

  • The graduation rate at PAFA is higher than California Institute of the Arts (73% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn on average $28,400 more per year than PAFA graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $22,000)
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($26,500 vs. $28,500)
  • PAFA graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($274 vs. $294)
  • More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PAFA students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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