Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) vs California College of the Arts

Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) and California College of the Arts (CCA) stand out as premier institutions for aspiring artists and designers. While both offer a vibrant creative environment and a strong commitment to artistic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. CCAD boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students. CCA, on the other hand, has a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process. In terms of popular majors, CCAD excels in Fine Arts, Illustration, and Graphic Design, while CCA is renowned for its programs in Fine Arts, Animation, and Film/Video. CCAD's student body is predominantly female, while CCA's is more evenly balanced between male and female students. Finally, CCAD has a slightly higher graduation rate compared to CCA. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more. Explore the table to discover which institution aligns best with your
California College of the Arts logo

California College of the Arts

Columbus College of Art and Design logo

Columbus College of Art and Design

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Columbus, Ohio
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% 82.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 77.6% 94.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $65
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,847 730
Total number of admissions given out 2,210 689
Admitted students who chose to enroll 209 189
Yield rate 9.5% 27.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required 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 $73,634 $54,496
Average net price $40,231 $20,726
Tuition $51,792 $36,500
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $13,467

Meal plan: $5,650
$11,490
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

84.0%
Average amount $28,928
100.0%
Average amount $24,540
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $5,627
68.0%
Average amount $5,502
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $27,943
11.0%
Average amount $16,807

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,249
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
976
Men 29.8% Women 70.2%
Graduate students 381
Men 29.9% Women 70.1%
24
Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 29.7%
International students 40.3% N/A
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 761 438
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Ohio Pennsylvania Indiana Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 65.4% 59.7%
Dropout rate 34.2% 40.3%
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
Visual and Performing Arts, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,939
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: $37,103
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,261
  • Year 2: $25,936
  • Year 3: $33,599
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,871
  • Year 2: $26,353
  • Year 3: $30,606
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,466
  • Year 2: $25,525
  • Year 3: $29,653
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,608
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: N/A

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