Laguna College of Art and Design vs. Menlo

Should I go to Laguna College of Art and Design or Menlo College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Laguna College of Art and Design or Menlo 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Otis College of Art and Design San Francisco State San Jose State UOP CalArts MICA Sacramento State
Laguna College of Art and Design vs. Menlo College comparison
Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo College College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
Location Laguna Beach, CA Atherton, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 760 800
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lagunacollege.edu menlo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
Tuition (In State) $34,600 $48,260
Tuition (Out of State) $34,600 $48,260
Room & Board $16,991 $16,250
Avg Net Price $42,896 $29,151
Avg Grant Aid $11,841 $34,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 361 3,357
Admitted 319 2,072
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 61.7%
Enrolled % 36.4% 9.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition 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 Aug 15, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (67%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Psychology (1%)

Outcomes

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
Graduation Rate 56% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,100 $53,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,699 $21,062
Median Loan Payment $276 $217

Diversity

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
% Men 26% 56%
% Women 74% 44%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 29%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 19% 22%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 2%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 3% 14%
% Unknown Race 8% 9%

Students

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
% In-State 65% 49%
% Out-of-State 29% 22%

Campus

 Laguna College of Art and Design Menlo
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Menlo College is larger than than Laguna College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (800 students vs. 760 students)

Laguna College of Art and Design vs. Menlo Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Laguna College of Art and Design or Menlo?

  • Menlo College is 39.5% more expensive to attend than Laguna College of Art and Design for in-state tuition ($48,260.00 vs. $34,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.5% higher at Menlo than Laguna College of Art and Design ($48,260.00 vs. $34,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Menlo College than Laguna College of Art and Design ($29,151 vs. $42,896)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Menlo College are 4.6% lower than costs at Laguna College of Art and Design ($16,250 vs. $16,991)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Menlo College than Laguna College of Art and Design (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 192.5% larger than aid received Laguna College of Art and Design ($34,632 vs. $11,841)

Laguna College of Art and Design vs. Menlo Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Laguna College of Art and Design or Menlo? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Menlo or Laguna College of Art and Design .

  • Accepted freshman Laguna College of Art and Design students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Menlo (3.3)
  • Laguna College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than Menlo (61.7%)

Laguna College of Art and Design vs. Menlo Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Laguna College of Art and Design or Menlo? 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 Menlo and Laguna College of Art and Design.

  • The graduation rate at Laguna College of Art and Design is higher than Menlo College (56% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Menlo College earn on average $13,800 more per year than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates after ten years. ($53,900 vs. $40,100)
  • Menlo College students graduate with a $5,637 lower median federal student loan debt than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates. ($21,062 vs. $26,699)
  • Menlo graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates. ($217 vs. $276)
  • More Laguna College of Art and Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 55%)

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