Quad

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, CAQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forVery diverse
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 3 applicants admitted

California Institute of the Arts admits about 1 in 3 applicants (32%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 93% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

32%

32%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

2,004

Admitted

648

Yield

28%

of admits enroll

Applications −7% since fall 2014 · admit rate 24% → 32%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 860 undergrads, where 24% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

860

undergrads · larger than 32% of colleges

Diversity index

0.78

Pell Grant

24%

below the median

First generation

16%

below the median

Large suburbStudy abroad
Steady · index 0.78 → 0.78 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects (24% of graduates). 7 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 92% of colleges. 45% of faculty are full-time. Spends $34,675 a year on instruction per student.

7 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 92% of colleges

Most popular major

Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects

24% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

$41.2K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

45%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$34.7K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $56,987 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $32.7K more than the national median. The 95% who received grants paid $56,239 on average; the other 5% paid the full sticker price of $77,308.

26%

$57K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $32.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$77,308 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
49% · avg $12K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 26% of full price

Federal loans

36%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −10% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $41,198 ten years after enrolling, more than at 16% of colleges; 71% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 5.5 years of that salary.

71%

71%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$41.2K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25K

≈ $265/month for 10 years

Retention

82%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 70% → 67% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 10%, because grants grew faster. Applications fell 7% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 24% to 32%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −10% after inflation

  • Applications

    Steady

    −7%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 24% → 32%

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.78 → 0.78

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

21% admit · SAT 1398 · 842 undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso private
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Northeastern University Oakland

17% admit · SAT 1470 · 464 undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso WestAlso private
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Samuel Merritt University

718 undergrads

Similar sizeAlso WestAlso private
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California Institute of Technology

2.6% admit · 987 undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso West
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    California Institute of the Arts (2026)

    California Institute of the Arts · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 111081 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything