CalArts vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles

Deciding between California Institute of the Arts and The Chicago School at Los Angeles? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

California Institute of the Arts

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • CalArts Valencia, CA
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
  • Setting
  • CalArts Midsize Suburban
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • CalArts 1,277
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 3,344
  • Type
  • CalArts Private 4 Year
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CalArts -
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles -
  • Status
  • CalArts Non-profit
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • CalArts $58,996
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles $21,780
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • CalArts $58,996
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles $21,780
  • Room & Board
  • CalArts $14,134
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles $18,536
  • Average Net Price
  • CalArts $56,239
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles -
  • Average Grant Aid
  • CalArts $21,416
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles $0
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • CalArts 95%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 0%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • CalArts 2,004
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 82
  • Admitted
  • CalArts 648
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 38
  • Acceptance Rate
  • CalArts 32.3%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 46.3%
  • Enrolled
  • CalArts 27.9%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 65.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • Typical ACT score
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • Average High School GPA
  • CalArts -
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • CalArts -
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles -
  • Admissions Standards
  • CalArts Unavailable
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • CalArts High
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Low
  • ACT Range
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • SAT Range
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • Submit Test Scores
  • CalArts Test-free
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • CalArts Jan 5, 2027
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • CalArts 7:1
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • CalArts
    • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • CalArts 65%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • CalArts $50,400
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles N/A
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • CalArts 64%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • CalArts $28,500
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • CalArts $294
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • CalArts 41%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 17%
  • % Women
  • CalArts 59%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 83%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CalArts Very High
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Very High
  • HBCU
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles No
  • % White
  • CalArts 42%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 45%
  • % Asian
  • CalArts 16%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 3%
  • % Black
  • CalArts 7%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 15%
  • % Hispanic
  • CalArts 15%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 24%
  • % Native American
  • CalArts 1%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CalArts 1%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CalArts 6%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 3%
  • % International
  • CalArts 7%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CalArts 8%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CalArts 36%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 16%
  • % Out-of-State
  • CalArts 39%
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles 84%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • CalArts Yes
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • Meal Plan
  • CalArts Yes
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles
  • Learn More
  • CalArts Details
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles Details

Comparable Facts

Compare California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA with The Chicago School at Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The Chicago School at Los Angeles is larger than CalArts based on total student enrollment (3,344 students vs. 1,277 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); The Chicago School at Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
  • California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The Chicago School at Los Angeles is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; The Chicago School at Los Angeles 11:1.

CalArts vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or The Chicago School at Los Angeles? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 23.7% lower than at The Chicago School at Los Angeles ($14,134 vs. $18,536).
  • California Institute of the Arts is 170.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than The Chicago School at Los Angeles (about $37,216 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $21,780.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 170.9% higher at CalArts than at The Chicago School at Los Angeles (about $37,216 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $21,780.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Institute of the Arts than at The Chicago School at Los Angeles (95% vs. 0%).

CalArts vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or The Chicago School at Los Angeles? 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 The Chicago School at Los Angeles and CalArts.

  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Test-free; The Chicago School at Los Angeles - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
  • The Chicago School at Los Angeles has a higher acceptance rate (46.3%) than CalArts (32.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.9% at CalArts vs. 65.8% at The Chicago School at Los Angeles.

CalArts vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and The Chicago School at Los Angeles? 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).

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.