California Institute of the Arts vs Notre Dame

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and University of Notre Dame stand as two distinct beacons of higher education, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence and vibrant campus life. CalArts, renowned for its exceptional arts programs, boasts an acceptance rate of 33%, while Notre Dame, a prestigious research university with a strong liberal arts foundation, maintains a highly selective acceptance rate of 18%. CalArts' student body is predominantly composed of aspiring artists, musicians, and performers, while Notre Dame's student population reflects a diverse range of academic interests, with popular majors spanning the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with CalArts reporting a 75% graduation rate and Notre Dame achieving a remarkable 94% graduation rate. To help you make an informed decision about your academic journey, we present a comprehensive side-by-side comparison of these two esteemed institutions, highlighting key differences in acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and
California Institute of the Arts logo

California Institute of the Arts

University of Notre Dame logo

University of Notre Dame

Overview

Location Valencia, California Notre Dame, Indiana
Campus setting Suburb: Large Suburb: 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 94.0% 98.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 29.0% 15.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A 1410 - 1550
ACT range N/A 32 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 33.0%
Students submitting ACT score 36.0%
Total number of applicants 2,364 23,642
Total number of admissions given out 685 3,562
Admitted students who chose to enroll 203 2,059
Yield rate 29.6% 57.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $79,792 $78,347
Average net price $53,916 $30,513
Tuition $52,850 $58,336
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,040

Meal plan: $5,095
$16,304
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $18,119
57.0%
Average amount $46,306
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $5,615
30.0%
Average amount $4,134
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,000
12.0%
Average amount $8,564

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 965
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
8,973
Men 51.6% Women 48.4%
Graduate students 479
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
4,166
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 93.1%
International students 29.0% 12.1%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 441 6,919
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Illinois California Texas Indiana New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • English Language and Literature
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 71.9% 95.9%
Dropout rate 28.1% 3.9%
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,439
  • Year 2: $123,601
  • Year 3: $135,572
Finance and Financial Management Services (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,269
  • Year 2: $89,674
  • Year 3: $126,773
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $120,074
  • Year 2: $108,092
  • Year 3: $123,182
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,638
  • Year 2: $85,243
  • Year 3: $110,135
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,593
  • Year 2: $89,968
  • Year 3: $105,831
Mathematics and Statistics, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,224
  • Year 2: $80,273
  • Year 3: $99,815
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,618
  • Year 2: $86,375
  • Year 3: $95,904
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,178
  • Year 2: $74,307
  • Year 3: $92,866
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,118
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $87,393
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,070
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $85,821

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