California College of the Arts vs San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI)

California College of the Arts (CCA) and San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) stand as prominent institutions in the realm of art and design education, each possessing unique strengths and characteristics. CCA boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students, while SFAI maintains a more selective admissions process, fostering a highly competitive environment. CCA offers a wider array of undergraduate and graduate programs, encompassing various disciplines within art, design, and architecture, while SFAI focuses primarily on fine arts, offering a more specialized curriculum. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details regarding acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, empowering you to make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and career goals.
California College of the Arts logo

California College of the Arts

San Francisco Art Institute logo

San Francisco Art Institute

Overview

Location San Francisco, California San Francisco, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
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 82.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 77.6% 94.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $85
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,847 169
Total number of admissions given out 2,210 160
Admitted students who chose to enroll 209
Yield rate 9.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A
High school GPA Required N/A
Recommendation letters Required N/A
High school transcript Not required N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $73,634
Average net price $40,231
Tuition $51,792
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $13,467

Meal plan: $5,650
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

84.0%
Average amount $28,928
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $5,627
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $27,943

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,249
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
42
Men 50.0% Women 50.0%
Graduate students 381
Men 29.9% Women 70.1%
28
Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 40.3% N/A
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 761 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 4:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission N/A

Outcome

Graduation rate 65.4% 31.8%
Dropout rate 34.2% 68.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,106
  • Year 2: $77,536
  • Year 3: $105,977
Architecture (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,344
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $66,934
Architecture (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,396
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $61,388
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,949
  • Year 2: $39,860
  • Year 3: $49,787
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,472
  • Year 2: $34,467
  • Year 3: $38,025
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,206
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $37,442
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,698
  • Year 2: $30,409
  • Year 3: $23,743
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,560
  • Year 2: $15,552
  • Year 3: $19,229
Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,520
  • Year 2: $86,129
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,170
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $32,786
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,309
  • Year 2: $30,119
  • Year 3: $30,264
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,116
  • Year 2: $28,381
  • Year 3: $29,237
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,494
  • Year 2: $22,420
  • Year 3: $16,882
Visual and Performing Arts, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $16,008
  • Year 3: N/A