Culinary Institute of America vs. FIT

Comparable Facts

Compare Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY with Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Fashion Institute of Technology is larger than Culinary Institute of America based on total student enrollment (8,206 students vs. 3,147 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Culinary Institute of America is located in Hyde Park, NY (Large Suburban setting); Fashion Institute of Technology is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• Culinary Institute of America is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Fashion Institute of Technology is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Culinary Institute of America 18:1; Fashion Institute of Technology 16:1.

Culinary Institute of America vs. FIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Culinary Institute of America or FIT? 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 Fashion Institute of Technology than Culinary Institute of America ($16,340 vs. $39,581).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Culinary Institute of America are 41% lower than at Fashion Institute of Technology ($15,030 vs. $25,458).
• Culinary Institute of America is 533.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than FIT (about $33,556 more per year; $39,850.00 vs. $6,294.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 136.2% higher at Culinary Institute of America than at Fashion Institute of Technology (about $22,976 more per year; $39,850.00 vs. $16,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Culinary Institute of America than at Fashion Institute of Technology (99% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Culinary Institute of America students is 133% larger than aid received by Fashion Institute of Technology students ($19,350 vs. $8,304).

Culinary Institute of America vs. FIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Culinary Institute of America or FIT? 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 FIT and Culinary Institute of America.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Culinary Institute of America 928/1183.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Culinary Institute of America 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Culinary Institute of America - Test optional; FIT - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: FIT Jan 1, 2027.
• Culinary Institute of America has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than FIT (60.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31% at Culinary Institute of America vs. 55.8% at FIT.

Culinary Institute of America vs. FIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Culinary Institute of America and FIT? 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).

• Graduates from Fashion Institute of Technology earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than Culinary Institute of America graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,600 vs. $46,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Culinary Institute of America graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than FIT graduates ($15,000 vs. $19,500).
• Among borrowers, Culinary Institute of America graduates have an estimated $46 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than FIT graduates ($155 vs. $201).
• More Culinary Institute of America graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FIT students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 70%)

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.