California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
California College of the Arts admitted 91.1% of applicants university-wide (2,160 of 2,371).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 91.1% | 2,160 | 2,371 |
| In-state | 50.0% | 600 | 1,200 |
| Out-of-state | 50.0% | 250 | 500 |
| International applicants | 50.0% | 175 | 350 |
| Men | 87.6% | 489 | 558 |
| Women | 92.2% | 1,662 | 1,802 |
Also offers Early Action (closes Dec 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.
Of 2,160 admitted students, 172 enrolled (8.0% yield).
California College of the Arts U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1100–1300
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 23–29
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.00–3.74
Testing policy: Test-blind (scores not considered)
California College of the Arts U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $87,825/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $60,226 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $27,599 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $87,825/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $61,407 |
| $30k–48k | $43,261 |
| $48k–75k | $45,378 |
| $75k–110k | $46,060 |
| Over $110k | $56,394 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- CCA Merit Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $10,000 - $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Merit Scholarship — $5,000 - $20,000 per year (Merit)
- CCA Achievement Award — Up to $15,000 per year (Merit)
- Transfer Scholarship — Up to $15,000 per year (Merit)
- CCA Pre-College Scholarship — $5,000 per year (Other)
- CCA Alumni Scholarship — $1,000 per year (Other)
- CCA Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- CCA Need-Based Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Presidential Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
International applicants
Some aid available for internationals.
- CCA Merit Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $10,000 - $25,000 per year (Merit)
- Merit Scholarship — $5,000 - $20,000 per year (Merit)
- CCA Achievement Award — Up to $15,000 per year (Merit)
- Transfer Scholarship — Up to $15,000 per year (Merit)
- #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship — Minimum $5,000 per year (International Aid)
- CCA Pre-College Scholarship — $5,000 per year (Other)
- CCA Alumni Scholarship — $1,000 per year (Other)
- CCA Need-Based Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Presidential Scholarship — Full tuition (Full Tuition)
California College of the Arts U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Official transcript
- Test scores (SAT/ACT) (optional)
- Letters of recommendation (recommended)
- Supplemental essays (recommended)
- Application fee
International applicants
- Official transcript
- Test scores (SAT/ACT) (optional)
- Letters of recommendation (recommended)
- Supplemental essays (recommended)
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
- Application fee
Essay prompts
California College of the Arts requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $49,414
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 61.2%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 87%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $27,000
- At graduation
California College of the Arts · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Visual & performing arts (47%), Interdisciplinary studies (10%), Computer & information sciences (7%).
Student–faculty ratio: 8:1 · 67% of class sections have under 20 students.
California College of the Arts U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.