Art Center College of Design
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who prefer a mid-size campus. median debt is moderately high. solid earnings of $62,300 within 10 years; strong 79% graduation rate.
About This School
Art Center College of Design is a private nonprofit institution located in Pasadena, California with approximately 2,017 undergraduate students enrolled. Art Center College of Design has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 75%. The average net price after financial aid is $48,661 per year. The graduation rate is 79%, and the typical graduate earns $62,300 within 10 years of enrollment.
The ArtCenter College of Design is a private art college in Pasadena, California.
This is a strong option for students serious about design careers — the 83% graduation rate signals real commitment from students who enroll, and median earnings of $62,300 a decade out are solid for an art school. That said, the $50,209 average net price is steep, and with $26,000 in median debt at graduation, you'll want to make sure financial aid and scholarships bring the cost to a manageable level before committing. Worth considering if you're laser-focused on design and have done the math on what you can realistically afford.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
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: 14% 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.
Art Center College of Design graduates earn most above the national rate in Design and Applied Arts ($76,093 vs $51,490 nationally), and most below it in Fine and Studio Arts ($33,073 vs $41,367).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 245 | $76,093 | $51,490 | +$24,603 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 51 | $92,293 | $89,619 | +$2,674 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | 50 | $90,188 | $82,073 | +$8,115 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 41 | $49,933 | $43,765 | +$6,168 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 18 | $33,073 | $41,367 | −$8,294 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 17 | $77,401 | $70,074 | +$7,327 |
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 (2,017 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Art Center College of Design 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
What is the acceptance rate at Art Center College of Design?
Art Center College of Design has an acceptance rate of 75%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Art Center College of Design hard to get into?
Not especially. Art Center College of Design has an acceptance rate of 75%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Art Center College of Design cost?
The average net price at Art Center College of Design is about $48,661 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 Art Center College of Design?
Art Center College of Design has a graduation rate of 79%, 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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