California College of the Arts

San Francisco, California · Private nonprofit · Predominantly bachelor's · City: Large

Official websiteNet price calculatorAccreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

The average annual net price for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving federal aid is $41,109. 64% of first-time, full-time students completed within 150% of normal time. Students who received federal aid had median earnings of $58,957 ten years after entering. The median federal loan debt of graduates is $23,917.

Average net price
$41,109
per year Verified data
Completion rate
64%
within 150% of normal time Verified data
Median earnings
$58,957
10 years after entry Verified data
Median debt
$23,917
graduates, federal loans Verified data

Cost and net price

In-state tuition and fees$61,764
Out-of-state tuition and fees$61,764
Average cost of attendance$84,786
Books and supplies$1,500
Room and board, on campus$22,532
Average net price, all aided students$41,109
Average net price, family income $0 to $30,000$40,459
Average net price, family income over $110,000$53,926

Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time undergraduates who receive federal aid. Your price depends on your family finances; use the school's net price calculator for an estimate. Tuition: AcadYr 2025-26, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26. Net price and cost of attendance: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26.

Admissions and enrollment

Admission rate
91%
SAT range, middle 50% (reading plus math)
Data unavailable
ACT composite range, middle 50%
Data unavailable
Undergraduate enrollment
990
Graduate enrollment
304
Students receiving Pell grants
31%
Student to faculty ratio
8 to 1

Admission rate and enrollment: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25. SAT and ACT ranges come from IPEDS and may not reflect test-optional policies.

Graduation, earnings, and debt

Completion within 150% of normal time64%
Completion within normal time57%
First-year retention (full-time)87%
Median federal debt, graduates$23,917
Typical monthly payment on that debt (10 years)$272
Median Parent PLUS debt, completers$54,623
Share earning more than a typical high school graduate, 6 years after entry62%
1 year after completion$34,508
4 years after completion$53,517
6 years after entry$43,149
8 years after entry$50,715
10 years after entry$58,957
Median earnings of former students who received federal aid and are working and not enrolled. Ten years after entry the median is $58,957; the middle half earned $29,723 to $96,557. Cohorts differ by measure; see definitions below.
Measure definitions and cohorts
  • Median earnings of students working and not enrolled 10 years after entry (MD_EARN_WNE_P10): Treasury AY2011-12, AY2012-13 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
  • Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled 1 year after completing (MD_EARN_WNE_1YR): Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
  • Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled 4 years after completing (MD_EARN_WNE_4YR): Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
  • The median debt for students who have completed (GRAD_DEBT_MDN): NSLDS FY2024, FY2025 pooled cohorts
  • Completion rate for first-time, full-time students at four-year institutions (150% of expected time to completion) (C150_4): Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
  • Average net price for Title IV institutions (public institutions) (NPT4_PUB): AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26

Institution-level earnings cover students who received federal financial aid, including students who did not complete. Debt figures include federal loans only and exclude private loans.

Programs and program-level outcomes

Highest early earnings among programs at California College of the Arts

Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled one year after completing, by program. Programs with too few graduates are suppressed for privacy and not shown.

20 programs reported. Program earnings are for graduates of this school's program, which is different from the wages of everyone working in a related occupation.

Bachelor's degree (10)
Program (CIP)Graduates (recent year)Median earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
Architectural Sciences and Technology
CIP 04.09 · No credentials fully online
10$70,221Suppressed for privacy
Computer Software and Media Applications
CIP 11.08 · No credentials fully online
38Suppressed for privacy$23,590
Design and Applied Arts
CIP 50.04 · No credentials fully online
84$46,636$25,031
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
CIP 50.06 · No credentials fully online
15$26,006Suppressed for privacy
Fine and Studio Arts
CIP 50.07 · No credentials fully online
43$27,919$17,500
Graphic Communications
CIP 10.03 · No credentials fully online
51$21,377$22,750
Human Computer Interaction
CIP 30.31 · No credentials fully online
20Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Interior Architecture
CIP 04.05 · No credentials fully online
11Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
CIP 23.13 · No credentials fully online
2Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Woodworking
CIP 48.07 · No credentials fully online
2Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Master's degree (10)
Program (CIP)Graduates (recent year)Median earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
Architectural Sciences and Technology
CIP 04.09 · No credentials fully online
9Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CIP 52.02
$142,998Suppressed for privacy
Design and Applied Arts
CIP 50.04 · No credentials fully online
32Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
CIP 50.06 · No credentials fully online
14Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Fine and Studio Arts
CIP 50.07 · No credentials fully online
26Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Graphic Communications
CIP 10.03 · No credentials fully online
17Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Human Computer Interaction
CIP 30.31 · No credentials fully online
45Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
CIP 52.13 · No credentials fully online
17Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Museology/Museum Studies
CIP 30.14 · No credentials fully online
1Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
CIP 23.13 · No credentials fully online
7Suppressed for privacySuppressed for privacy
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
UNITID 110370, OPEID 001127. Data unavailable means the Department of Education did not publish the figure or suppressed it for privacy. Report a data issue.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.