Dean College vs. CCS

Comparable Facts

Compare Dean College in Franklin, MA with College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College for Creative Studies is larger than Dean College based on total student enrollment (1,433 students vs. 1,092 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Dean College is located in Franklin, MA (Large Suburban setting); College for Creative Studies is in Detroit, MI (Large City setting).
• Dean College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. College for Creative Studies is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Dean College 15:1; College for Creative Studies 10:1.

Dean College vs. CCS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dean College or CCS? 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 Dean College than CCS ($32,085 vs. $36,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College for Creative Studies are 23.1% lower than at Dean College ($15,272 vs. $19,864).
• College for Creative Studies is 14.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Dean College (about $6,824 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $46,526.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.7% higher at CCS than at Dean College (about $6,824 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $46,526.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Dean College than at College for Creative Studies (100% vs. 98%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Dean College students is 9.5% larger than aid received by College for Creative Studies students ($32,958 vs. $30,108).

Dean College vs. CCS Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Dean College or CCS? 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 CCS and Dean College.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Dean College - Test-free; CCS - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Dean College Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman CCS students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Dean College (2.88).
• CCS has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Dean College (73.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.7% at Dean College vs. 24.9% at CCS.

Dean College vs. CCS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Dean College and CCS? 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).

• Dean College's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than College for Creative Studies's (57%).
• Graduates from College for Creative Studies earn a median of about $10,900 more per year than Dean College graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $35,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Dean College graduates have a $10,647 lower median loan debt than CCS graduates ($16,353 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Dean College graduates have an estimated $110 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CCS graduates ($169 vs. $279).
• More CCS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dean College students, three years after graduation. (60% 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.