School of the Art Institute of Chicago vs Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD)

When it comes to art and design education, two prominent institutions stand out: the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD). While both offer exceptional programs, they differ in several key aspects. SAIC, located in the heart of Chicago's vibrant art scene, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 38%, while RMCAD, nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, offers a more accessible route with an acceptance rate of 80%. SAIC's student body is more diverse, with international students comprising 25% of the population, compared to RMCAD's 10%. In terms of popular majors, SAIC excels in Fine Arts, Illustration, and Photography, while RMCAD specializes in Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Animation. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with SAIC's reaching 75% and RMCAD's

	Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design	School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Overview
Location	Lakewood, Colorado	Chicago, Illinois
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (For Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	60.0%	83.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	81.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $45
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants		5,835
Total number of admissions given out		4,725
Admitted students who chose to enroll		669
Yield rate		14.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)		N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Not required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$36,403	$67,380
Average net price	$22,837	$50,214
Tuition	$19,425	$52,200
Room & board		Room/dormitory: $13,500 Meal plan: $2,480
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	88.0% Average amount $6,483	93.0% Average amount $20,194
Students receiving federal student loan	71.0% Average amount $9,131	45.0% Average amount $5,504
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $9,750	8.0% Average amount $32,788

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,837 Men 24.0% Women 76.0%	2,795 Men 24.8% Women 75.2%
Graduate students	12 Men 25.0% Women 75.0%	764 Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	0.0%	30.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	N/A	990
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts Computer and Information Science Communications Technology Education	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Health Professions Education Architecture
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	43.4%	65.0%
Dropout rate	43.4%	7.5%
Transferred out	13.2%	25.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,981 Year 2: $22,192 Year 3: $28,893 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $26,095 Year 2: $22,055 Year 3: $27,442 Architecture (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,707 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,461 Year 2: $35,600 Year 3: N/A Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $27,550 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,246 Year 2: $38,829 Year 3: N/A

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