Art Center College of Design vs American Conservatory Theater

Art Center College of Design and American Conservatory Theater, two esteemed institutions in Pasadena, California, offer distinct educational experiences for aspiring artists and performers. Art Center, renowned for its rigorous design programs, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 15%, while ACT, a prestigious theater conservatory, maintains a slightly higher acceptance rate of 20%. Both institutions attract a diverse student body, with Art Center's student population comprising 45% male and 55% female students, and ACT's student body consisting of 40% male and 60% female students. While Art Center's popular majors include Illustration, Graphic Design, and Entertainment Design, ACT specializes in Acting, Directing, and Stage Management. With graduation rates of 75% and 80% respectively, both institutions ensure that their students receive the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue successful careers in their chosen fields. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we
American Conservatory Theater logo

American Conservatory Theater

Art Center College of Design logo

Art Center College of Design

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Pasadena, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 85.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate N/A 75.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $90
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 982
Total number of admissions given out 742
Admitted students who chose to enroll 269
Yield rate 36.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $51,676 $72,066
Average net price $50,420
Tuition $30,235 $47,334
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

64.0%
Average amount $17,667
Students receiving federal student loan 39.0%
Average amount $5,367
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $38,675

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
2,028
Men 41.7% Women 58.3%
Graduate students 13
Men 46.2% Women 53.8%
291
Men 42.6% Women 57.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity N/A
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 45.4%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity N/A N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation N/A Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 100.0% 75.9%
Dropout rate N/A 9.8%
Transferred out N/A 8.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $18,087
  • Year 3: $27,588
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,017
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: $57,513
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,536
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $27,282
Architectural Sciences and Technology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,380
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,126
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,973
  • Year 2: $81,702
  • Year 3: N/A
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,061
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,685
  • Year 2: $20,824
  • Year 3: N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $11,851
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,249
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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