Academy of Art University
A good fit for students who prefer a mid-size campus. graduation rate is below 40%; median debt is moderately high. a private for-profit school with 3,587 students.
About This School
Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California with approximately 3,587 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $40,613 per year. The graduation rate is 34%, and the typical graduate earns $47,300 within 10 years of enrollment.
The Academy of Art University, formerly Academy of Art College and Richard Stephens Academy of Art, is a private for-profit art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded as the Academy of Advertising Art by Richard S. Stephens in 1929. The school is one of the largest property owners in San Francisco, with the main campus located on New Montgomery Street in the South of Market district.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: only 40% of students graduate, and the 67% freshman retention rate suggests a lot of students leave before finishing — which is a real red flag worth taking seriously. On the positive side, median debt at graduation is a relatively manageable $11,000, and the San Francisco location offers genuine access to creative industries for students in design, fashion, or visual arts. Worth considering only if you have a clear, specific creative career goal and a solid plan to stay enrolled — this is not a school where you want to figure things out as you go.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 13% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Academy of Art University graduates earn most above the national rate in Computer Software and Media Applications ($73,398 vs $58,894 nationally), and most below it in Apparel and Textiles ($41,565 vs $57,640).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 112 | $73,398 | $58,894 | +$14,504 |
| Graphic Communications | 74 | $50,833 | $43,283 | +$7,550 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 73 | $66,783 | $71,753 | −$4,970 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 63 | $38,583 | $51,490 | −$12,907 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 56 | $46,726 | $43,765 | +$2,961 |
| Apparel and Textiles | 49 | $41,565 | $57,640 | −$16,075 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 23 | $43,084 | $41,688 | +$1,396 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 20 | $54,087 | $50,497 | +$3,590 |
| Music | 14 | $33,151 | $42,892 | −$9,741 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 12 | $35,870 | $39,775 | −$3,905 |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | 12 | $60,284 | $59,631 | +$653 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3,587 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Academy of Art University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Academy of Art University cost?
The average net price at Academy of Art University is about $40,613 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Academy of Art University?
Academy of Art University has a graduation rate of 34%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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