CMA vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA with Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Maritime Academy is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (837 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Maritime Academy is located in Vallejo, CA (Midsize City setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Maritime Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Maritime Academy 11:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

CMA vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMA or Design Institute of San Diego? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Maritime Academy than Design Institute of San Diego ($19,040 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Maritime Academy are 34.2% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($14,536 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 194.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CMA (about $19,356 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $9,944.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 30% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Maritime Academy (about $6,756 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $22,544.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Maritime Academy (100% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students is 7.8% larger than aid received by California State University Maritime Academy students ($11,901 vs. $11,038).

CMA vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CMA or Design Institute of San Diego? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Design Institute of San Diego and CMA.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CMA - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: CMA Dec 15, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CMA (95%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.7% at CMA vs. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

CMA vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CMA and Design Institute of San Diego? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• The graduation rate at CMA is the same as at Design Institute of San Diego (62% vs. 62%).
• Graduates from California State University Maritime Academy earn a median of about $51,600 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,500 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Maritime Academy graduates have a $15,059 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($25,526 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, CMA graduates have an estimated $156 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($263 vs. $419).
• More CMA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Design Institute of San Diego students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 68%)

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.