SAU vs. AAC

Should I go to Spring Arbor University or Art Academy of Cincinnati? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SAU or AAC 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.

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Spring Arbor University vs. Art Academy of Cincinnati comparison
Spring Arbor University Art Academy of Cincinnati College 3 College 4
Art Academy of Cincinnati
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Overview

SAU AAC
Location Spring Arbor, MI Cincinnati, OH
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,396 263
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #501
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu artacademy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SAU AAC
Tuition (In State) $31,020 $35,404
Tuition (Out of State) $31,020 $35,404
Room & Board $10,652 $10,500
Avg Net Price $22,375 $27,510
Avg Grant Aid $20,677 $17,764
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

SAU AAC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,312 426
Admitted 1,094 426
Acceptance Rate 47.3% 100%
Enrolled % 20.8% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26
SAT Range 970/1135
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

SAU AAC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

SAU AAC
Graduation Rate 56% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $30,400
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $279

Diversity

SAU AAC
% Men 23% 26%
% Women 77% 74%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 79%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

SAU AAC
% In-State 83% 64%
% Out-of-State 13% 35%

Campus

SAU AAC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than AAC based on total student enrollment (2,396 students vs. 263 students)

SAU vs. AAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or AAC?

  • Art Academy of Cincinnati is 14.1% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($35,404.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at AAC than Spring Arbor University ($35,404.00 vs. $31,020.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spring Arbor University than AAC ($22,375 vs. $27,510)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Academy of Cincinnati are 1.4% lower than costs at Spring Arbor University ($10,500 vs. $10,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Art Academy of Cincinnati than Spring Arbor University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 16.4% larger than aid received Art Academy of Cincinnati ($20,677 vs. $17,764)

SAU vs. AAC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SAU or AAC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between AAC or SAU .

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 110 points higher than at AAC (963)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at AAC (21)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at AAC (3.1)
  • AAC has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than SAU (47.3%)

SAU vs. AAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU or AAC? 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 AAC and SAU.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Art Academy of Cincinnati (56% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Spring Arbor University earn on average $12,200 more per year than AAC graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $30,400)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $2,957 lower median federal student loan debt than AAC graduates. ($24,043 vs. $27,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than AAC graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More SAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AAC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 55%)

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