Menlo vs. AAC

Comparable Facts

Compare Menlo College in Atherton, CA with Art Academy of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Menlo College is larger than AAC based on total student enrollment (810 students vs. 213 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Menlo College is located in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting); Art Academy of Cincinnati is in Cincinnati, OH (Large City setting).
• Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Art Academy of Cincinnati is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Menlo College 14:1; Art Academy of Cincinnati 9:1.

Menlo vs. AAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Menlo or AAC? 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 Menlo College than AAC ($32,563 vs. $33,491).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Academy of Cincinnati are 41.5% lower than at Menlo College ($10,660 vs. $18,236).
• Menlo College is 29.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than AAC (about $12,255 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $41,375.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29.6% higher at Menlo than at Art Academy of Cincinnati (about $12,255 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $41,375.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College as at Art Academy of Cincinnati (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 101.3% larger than aid received by Art Academy of Cincinnati students ($39,174 vs. $19,460).

Menlo vs. AAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Menlo or AAC? 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 AAC and Menlo.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Menlo - Test-free; AAC - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Menlo Apr 1, 2027; AAC Aug 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Menlo students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at AAC (3.1).
• Menlo has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than AAC (34.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.3% at Menlo vs. 11.4% at AAC.

Menlo vs. AAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Menlo and AAC? 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).

• Art Academy of Cincinnati's six-year graduation rate (44%) is higher than Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Menlo College earn a median of about $23,500 more per year than AAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,900 vs. $30,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Menlo College graduates have a $5,938 lower median loan debt than AAC graduates ($21,062 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Menlo graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than AAC graduates ($217 vs. $279).
• More AAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 55%)

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.