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California College of the Arts

California College of the Arts

San Francisco, CA · City · 990 students
Website Common App Scorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$53,909
Average net priceYour net price
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
62%
Graduation rate
63% typical
$49,414
Earnings 10 years on
$39,254 typical
91%
Acceptance rate
64% typical · not scored
Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
About

Located in San Francisco’s innovation corridor, California College of the Arts (CCA) is a premier private art and design school celebrated for its top-ranked programs in interaction design, architecture, industrial design, and animation. CCA distinguishes itself through an interdisciplinary, studio-intensive curriculum that weaves social justice and environmental sustainability directly into the creative process, leveraging close partnerships with Bay Area tech giants, design firms, and cultural institutions. The campus culture is progressive, collaborative, and deeply maker-oriented, offering students an intimate community with access to state-of-the-art fabrication facilities in an urban creative hub.

Wikipedia:The California College of the Arts (CCA) is a private art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded in Berkeley, California in 1907 and moved to a historic estate in Oakland, California in 1922. In 1996, it opened a second campus in San Francisco; in 2022, the Oakland campus was closed and merged into the San Francisco campus. CCA enrolls approximately 1,239 undergraduates and 380 graduate students. In January 2026, CCA president David Howse announced the college will be closing at the end of the 2026–2027 academic year, with Vanderbilt University taking over the campus.

Location
San Francisco, CA, 94107-2247 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
SFO · San Francisco
10 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$60,226
Housing & food (on campus)$22,099
Books & supplies$1,500
Cost of attendance$89,594
Average net price$53,909
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$60,226
Housing & food (on campus)$22,099
Books & supplies$1,500
Cost of attendance$89,594
Average net price$53,909
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.cca.edu
How it’s made up
Tuition$60,864
Fees$900
Housing$15,600
Food$6,932
Books & supplies$1,500
Personal expenses$2,196
Transportation$1,602
Total published by the school$89,594
Source: www.cca.edu
Net price by family income
$0–30k
$61,407
$30–48k
$43,261
$48–75k
$45,378
$75–110k
$46,060
$110k+
$56,394
Grants from the school
96% of first-years get a grant from the school, averaging $30,192
Source: College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS)
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
62%
Within 4 yrs
48%
Back for yr 2
87%
Transferred
0%
Pell students: 47.1% · others: 66.3% 
8 yrs after starting
78% graduated · 11% transferred · 11% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings
6 yrs after entry$38,308
10 yrs after entry$49,414
Debt
Median at graduation$27,000
Monthly payment$286
Middle 50% owe$12k–$34.3k
90th percentile$42,750
Green marks a figure above the typical Special focus — arts, music & design: $39,254 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in
Admit rate
91%
Test policy
Not required
Admitted students
Admit rate: men 87.6% · women 92.2% 
Yield: 8.0% of admitted students enroll 

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Essay prompts

If California College of the Arts asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 33%Women 67%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
8 : 1
Pell grant
25%
First-gen
24%
Family income
$38,844
Independent
19%
Age at entry
21.0
Part-time
3%
Where first-years come from
In state (CA)
34.3%
Out of state
26.2%
International
39.0%

Most out-of-state first-years from: FL 5 · NY 5 · OR 5 · TX 5 · HI 3

Race & ethnicity
White
21%
Hispanic
16%
Black
4%
Asian
16%
Two or more
7%
Non-resident
32%
Unknown
4%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs
After 6 yrs
$38,308
After 10 yrs
$49,414
Design and Applied Arts84
Graphic Communications46
Fine and Studio Arts45
Computer Software and Media Applications29
Human Computer Interaction29
Film/Video and Photographic Arts26
Architectural Sciences and Technology15
Woodworking4
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies2
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$43M
Full-time faculty
22%
Faculty salary
$9,785/mo
Teaching spend
$24,140
per student
Federal loans
48%
Classification
Carnegie type
Special focus — arts, music & design
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

Wondering if California College of the Arts is the right fit for you?

omhu builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

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