Regional university
#15 Colleges that spend the most on teaching in CaliforniaArt Center College of Design
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $48,661 a year
Median debt at graduation: $31,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#214 of 1,829
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#90 of 704
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best colleges in America#450 of 1,829
In California
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$26,617
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $75,649 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,079 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 40% · Women 60% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 24% |
| Total students | 2,382 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $48,661 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $75,649 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $31,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 79% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 71% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 62% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 70% |
| First-year retention | 86% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $71,958 |
| Admission rate | 75% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $50 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 22% |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Engineering-Related Fields | |
| Mechanical engineering technology | |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | |
| Design | |
| Film and video | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Graphic communications, Software and media applications.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Engineering technologies | |
| Communications technology | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Architecture |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 11% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 16% |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 19%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $62,066Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)About 10 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 136,9692020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Los AngelesAbout 17 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 57°F1991–2020 normal, from PASADENA, CA US, about 3 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 76°F1991–2020 normal, from PASADENA, CA US, about 3 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Art Center College of Design’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 25% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Art Center College of Design cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $48,661 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Art Center College of Design?
- Art Center College of Design admitted 75% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Art Center College of Design’s graduates do?
- 79% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $71,958; the median federal debt at graduation is $31,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 109651
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (small programs)
- Accreditation: National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation; WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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