Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) vs American Academy of Art College

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) and American Academy of Art College (AAAC) stand out as prominent institutions offering specialized art and design education. While both colleges share a commitment to fostering creativity and artistic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. RMCAD boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process, while AAAC offers a more open admissions policy. In terms of student body demographics, RMCAD has a smaller student population, resulting in a more intimate learning environment, while AAAC's larger student body provides a diverse and vibrant campus community. Additionally, the two colleges vary in their popular majors, with RMCAD focusing on fine arts and design programs, and AAAC offering a wider range of art and design disciplines, including fashion design, game art, and interior design. To help you make an informed decision about your art education, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more, including graduation rates, tuition
American Academy of Art College logo

American Academy of Art College

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design logo

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

Overview

Location Chicago, Illinois Lakewood, Colorado
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (For Profit) Private (For Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 70.0% 60.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission Open Admission
Application fees
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
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required
High school GPA N/A N/A
Recommendation letters N/A N/A
High school transcript N/A N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $47,236 $36,403
Average net price $22,406 $22,837
Tuition $35,800 $19,425
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

67.0%
Average amount $19,206
88.0%
Average amount $6,483
Students receiving federal student loan 70.0%
Average amount $6,159
71.0%
Average amount $9,131
Students taking out private loans 15.0%
Average amount $13,425
9.0%
Average amount $9,750

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 145
Men 31.7% Women 68.3%
1,837
Men 24.0% Women 76.0%
Graduate students N/A 12
Men 25.0% Women 75.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 0.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity N/A N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A 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
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Communications Technology
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 56.9% 43.4%
Dropout rate 29.3% 43.4%
Transferred out 12.1% 13.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,434
  • Year 2: $23,719
  • Year 3: $28,522
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,217
  • Year 2: $19,866
  • Year 3: $23,771
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,370
  • Year 2: $27,474
  • Year 3: $34,961
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,457
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,227
  • Year 2: $35,274
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A

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