CalArts vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

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

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Location Valencia, CA Lancaster, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,440 245
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calarts.edu pcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Tuition (In State) $54,440 $27,750
Tuition (Out of State) $54,440 $27,750
Room & Board $12,446 $11,665
Avg Net Price $55,225 $26,649
Avg Grant Aid $20,474 $13,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,120 562
Admitted 525 249
Acceptance Rate 24.8% 44.3%
Enrolled % 36% 26.5%
Avg High School GPA - 3.13
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, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Graduation Rate 65% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $28,700
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $294 $279

Diversity

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
% Men 38% 28%
% Women 62% 72%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 73%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 7% 0%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
% In-State 32% 59%
% Out-of-State 38% 41%

Campus

CalArts Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (1,440 students vs. 245 students)

CalArts vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Cost Comparison

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

  • California Institute of the Arts is 96.2% more expensive to attend than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design for in-state tuition ($54,440.00 vs. $27,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96.2% higher at CalArts than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design ($54,440.00 vs. $27,750.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design than CalArts ($26,649 vs. $55,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design are 6.7% lower than costs at California Institute of the Arts ($11,665 vs. $12,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design than California Institute of the Arts (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 57% larger than aid received Pennsylvania College of Art and Design ($20,474 vs. $13,038)

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

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

  • Pennsylvania College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (44.3%) than CalArts (24.8%)

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

Which is better, CalArts or Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and CalArts.

  • The graduation rate at CalArts is higher than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (65% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn on average $21,700 more per year than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $28,700)
  • Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($27,000 vs. $28,500)
  • Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($279 vs. $294)
  • More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 58%)

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