Minneapolis College of Art and Design vs American Conservatory Theater

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) and American Conservatory Theater (ACT) are two esteemed institutions offering distinct educational experiences in the arts. MCAD, a private art and design college, boasts a 90% acceptance rate and is renowned for its rigorous fine arts programs, with popular majors including Illustration, Graphic Design, and Photography. ACT, a prestigious theater conservatory, has a highly selective 10% acceptance rate and specializes in training aspiring actors, with a focus on classical theater and contemporary performance. While MCAD's student body is predominantly female (70%), ACT's student population is more evenly distributed, with a 55% female and 45% male ratio. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with MCAD at 68% and ACT at 85%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table below, highlighting key differences between these two esteemed institutions.
American Conservatory Theater logo

American Conservatory Theater

Minneapolis College of Art and Design logo

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Minneapolis, Minnesota
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 77.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate N/A 65.5%
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 638
Total number of admissions given out 418
Admitted students who chose to enroll 163
Yield rate 39.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $51,676 $55,702
Average net price $28,520
Tuition $30,235 $41,344
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,980

Meal plan: $1,200
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $25,957
Students receiving federal student loan 96.0%
Average amount $5,416
Students taking out private loans 20.0%
Average amount $15,914

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
675
Men 31.6% Women 68.4%
Graduate students 13
Men 46.2% Women 53.8%
100
Men 22.0% Women 78.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity N/A
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 44.4%
International students N/A 4.1%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 288
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Minnesota Wisconsin Illinois Iowa South Dakota

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Precision Production
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation N/A Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 100.0% 66.2%
Dropout rate N/A 18.6%
Transferred out N/A 15.2%
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
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $34,987
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,412
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $34,268
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,993
  • Year 2: $28,236
  • Year 3: $28,847
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,090
  • Year 2: $18,771
  • Year 3: $26,963
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,098
  • Year 2: $22,192
  • Year 3: $25,223
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,078
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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