CalArts vs. USD

Should I go to California Institute of the Arts or University of San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CalArts or USD 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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UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Chapman Pepperdine SCU California College of the Arts USF USC PLNU UCSB Ringling College of Art and Design
California Institute of the Arts vs. University of San Diego comparison
California Institute of the Arts University of San Diego College 3 College 4
California Institute of the Arts University of San Diego
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Overview

CalArts USD
Location Valencia, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,440 8,815
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calarts.edu sandiego.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CalArts USD
Tuition (In State) $54,440 $53,810
Tuition (Out of State) $54,440 $53,810
Room & Board $12,446 $17,010
Avg Net Price $55,225 $36,008
Avg Grant Aid $20,474 $36,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 83%

Admission

CalArts USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,120 14,334
Admitted 525 7,541
Acceptance Rate 24.8% 52.6%
Enrolled % 36% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.95
Typical High School Grades - A-
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 Dec 15, 2024

Academics

CalArts USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

CalArts USD
Graduation Rate 65% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $70,200
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,500 $22,904
Median Loan Payment $294 $236

Diversity

CalArts USD
% Men 38% 43%
% Women 62% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 53%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 19%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 8% 3%

Students

CalArts USD
% In-State 32% 55%
% Out-of-State 38% 40%

Campus

CalArts USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of San Diego is larger than than CalArts based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 1,440 students)

CalArts vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or USD?

  • California Institute of the Arts is 1.2% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($54,440.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.2% higher at CalArts than University of San Diego ($54,440.00 vs. $53,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Diego than CalArts ($36,008 vs. $55,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 36.7% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($12,446 vs. $17,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than California Institute of the Arts (83% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 77.8% larger than aid received California Institute of the Arts ($36,408 vs. $20,474)

CalArts vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (52.6%) than CalArts (24.8%)

CalArts vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than California Institute of the Arts (75% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $19,800 more per year than CalArts graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $50,400)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $5,596 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($22,904 vs. $28,500)
  • USD graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($236 vs. $294)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CalArts students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 64%)

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