CMA vs. Musicians Institute

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Maritime Academy is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (837 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Maritime Academy is located in Vallejo, CA (Midsize City setting); Musicians Institute is in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Maritime Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Maritime Academy 11:1; Musicians Institute 6:1.

CMA vs. Musicians Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMA or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute ($19,040 vs. $49,657).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Maritime Academy are 34.2% lower than at Musicians Institute ($14,536 vs. $22,086).
• Musicians Institute is 245.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CMA (about $24,378 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $9,944.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 52.2% higher at Musicians Institute than at California State University Maritime Academy (about $11,778 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $22,544.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Maritime Academy than at Musicians Institute (51% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Maritime Academy students is 153.6% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($11,038 vs. $4,353).

CMA vs. Musicians Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CMA or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute and CMA.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CMA - Test-free; Musicians Institute - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CMA Dec 15, 2026.
• CMA has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Musicians Institute (77.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.7% at CMA vs. 40.6% at Musicians Institute.

CMA vs. Musicians Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CMA and Musicians Institute? 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).

• Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California State University Maritime Academy's (62%).
• Graduates from California State University Maritime Academy earn a median of about $55,600 more per year than Musicians Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,500 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CMA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 53%)

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.