Specialized school
Design Institute of San Diego
San Diego, CA · Private for-profit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $44,010 a year
Median debt at graduation: $36,844 (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
In California
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence is computed for four-year colleges with at least 100 undergraduates. Seminaries, graduate-only schools, and two-year colleges are not rated.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 92 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 5% · Women 95% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 0% |
| Total students | 111 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $44,010 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $55,911 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $36,844 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 80% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 61% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 64% |
| First-year retention | 0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $46,920 |
| Admission rate | 100% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $25 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 51% |
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.
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 |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 23% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 50% |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | San Diego International Airport (SAN)About 10 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 1,389,5262020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | San DiegoAbout 5 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 57°F1991–2020 normal, from SAN DIEGO MIRAMAR NAS, CA US, about 2 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 72°F1991–2020 normal, from SAN DIEGO MIRAMAR NAS, CA US, about 2 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 Design Institute of San Diego’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). 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 Design Institute of San Diego cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $44,010 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 Design Institute of San Diego?
- Design Institute of San Diego admitted 100% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Design Institute of San Diego’s graduates do?
- 80% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $46,920; the median federal debt at graduation is $36,844.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 113582
- Carnegie classification: Special focus: arts, music & design
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Design Institute of San Diego vs Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
More in California · California rankings