CalArts vs. The Chicago School at San Diego

Deciding between California Institute of the Arts and The Chicago School at San Diego? 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 San Diego San Diego, California
  • Setting
  • CalArts Midsize Suburban
  • The Chicago School at San Diego Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • CalArts 1,277
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 112
  • Type
  • CalArts Private 4 Year
  • The Chicago School at San Diego Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at San Diego
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CalArts -
  • The Chicago School at San Diego -
  • Status
  • CalArts Non-profit
  • The Chicago School at San Diego Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CalArts
  • The Chicago School at San Diego
  • Cost

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

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

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

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

  • % Men
  • CalArts 41%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 24%
  • % Women
  • CalArts 59%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 76%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CalArts Very High
  • The Chicago School at San Diego -
  • HBCU
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at San Diego No
  • % White
  • CalArts 42%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Asian
  • CalArts 16%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Black
  • CalArts 7%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Hispanic
  • CalArts 15%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Native American
  • CalArts 1%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CalArts 1%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CalArts 6%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % International
  • CalArts 7%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CalArts 8%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego 0%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CalArts 36%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego -
  • % Out-of-State
  • CalArts 39%
  • The Chicago School at San Diego -
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • CalArts Yes
  • The Chicago School at San Diego No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at San Diego
  • Meal Plan
  • CalArts Yes
  • The Chicago School at San Diego No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at San Diego Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • CalArts No
  • The Chicago School at San Diego

Comparable Facts

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

California Institute of the Arts is larger than The Chicago School at San Diego based on total student enrollment (1,277 students vs. 112 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 San Diego is in San Diego, California (Large City setting).
  • California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The Chicago School at San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; The Chicago School at San Diego 11:1.

CalArts vs. The Chicago School at San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or The Chicago School at San Diego? 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 San Diego ($14,134 vs. $18,536).
  • California Institute of the Arts is 170.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than The Chicago School at San Diego (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 San Diego (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 San Diego (95% vs. 0%).

CalArts vs. The Chicago School at San Diego Admissions comparison

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

  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Test-free; The Chicago School at San Diego - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.

CalArts vs. The Chicago School at San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and The Chicago School at San Diego? 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.