California Institute of the Arts vs Gnomon

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and Gnomon are two renowned institutions offering specialized education in the arts. CalArts, a private university located in Valencia, California, boasts a selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 35%, while Gnomon, a private college in Hollywood, California, maintains a more open admissions policy with an acceptance rate of 100%. CalArts is known for its strong programs in the performing and visual arts, with popular majors including Acting, Animation, and Dance. Gnomon, on the other hand, specializes in digital arts and visual effects, with popular majors such as 3D Animation, Visual Effects, and Game Art. Both institutions attract a diverse student body, with CalArts having a slightly higher percentage of international students. While CalArts has a higher graduation rate of 75%, Gnomon's smaller class sizes and focus on industry-specific skills may appeal to students seeking a more hands-on, career-
California Institute of the Arts logo

California Institute of the Arts

Gnomon logo

Gnomon

Overview

Location Valencia, California Hollywood, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (For Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 94.0% 86.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 29.0% 44.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
$25
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,364 58
Total number of admissions given out 685 26
Admitted students who chose to enroll 203 15
Yield rate 29.6% 57.7%
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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $79,792 $51,294
Average net price $53,916 $47,099
Tuition $52,850 $27,405
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,040

Meal plan: $5,095
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $18,119
25.0%
Average amount $9,296
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $5,615
25.0%
Average amount $5,500
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,000
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 965
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
409
Men 62.8% Women 37.2%
Graduate students 479
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 29.0% 10.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 441 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
  • English Language and Literature
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 71.9% 60.0%
Dropout rate 28.1% 40.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,469
  • Year 2: $32,563
  • Year 3: $36,735
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $14,239
  • Year 2: $23,456
  • Year 3: $29,527
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $29,030
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,555
  • Year 2: $22,420
  • Year 3: $28,984
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,629
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $28,791
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,992
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $22,579
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,918
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $21,662
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,425
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $21,635
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,773
  • Year 2: $15,182
  • Year 3: N/A
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,840
  • Year 3: N/A
Graphic Communications (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $67,897
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Design and Applied Arts (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $54,897
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: N/A

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