Minneapolis College of Art and Design vs The University of the Arts (UArts)

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) and The University of the Arts (UArts) stand out as two prominent institutions offering specialized art and design education. While both share a commitment to fostering creativity and artistic expression, they differ in several key aspects. MCAD, a private college located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, boasts a smaller student body and a more selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 68%. UArts, a private university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has a larger and more diverse student population, with an acceptance rate of 85%. MCAD offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in art and design, with popular majors including Fine Arts, Graphic Design, and Illustration. UArts, on the other hand, provides a wider variety of programs, including majors in Music, Dance, and Theater, in addition to its art and design offerings. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two esteemed institutions and make an informed decision about your artistic journey
Minneapolis College of Art and Design logo

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

The University of the Arts logo

The University of the Arts

Overview

Location Minneapolis, Minnesota Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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% 87.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 65.5% 85.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
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 1,293
Total number of admissions given out 418 1,101
Admitted students who chose to enroll 163 269
Yield rate 39.0% 24.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA 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 $55,702 $68,690
Average net price $28,520 $25,932
Tuition $41,344 $48,350
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,980

Meal plan: $1,200
Room/dormitory: $11,380

Meal plan: $6,250
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $25,957
100.0%
Average amount $26,798
Students receiving federal student loan 96.0%
Average amount $5,416
94.0%
Average amount $5,851
Students taking out private loans 20.0%
Average amount $15,914
21.0%
Average amount $24,297

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 675
Men 31.6% Women 68.4%
1,397
Men 34.7% Women 65.3%
Graduate students 100
Men 22.0% Women 78.0%
160
Men 28.8% Women 71.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 44.4% N/A
International students 4.1% 2.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 288 582
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Minnesota Wisconsin Illinois Iowa South Dakota N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Precision Production
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Education
  • Communications Technology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 66.2% 68.1%
Dropout rate 18.6% 31.7%
Transferred out 15.2% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,721
  • Year 2: $50,677
  • Year 3: $49,511
Museology/Museum Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,796
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $44,041
Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,047
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: $30,926
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,932
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $29,322
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,815
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $28,945
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,696
  • Year 2: $21,052
  • Year 3: $28,612
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,267
  • Year 2: $21,613
  • Year 3: $26,673
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,297
  • Year 2: $18,771
  • Year 3: $25,853
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,067
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: $25,752
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,579
  • Year 2: $19,358
  • Year 3: $25,140

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