Quad

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

San Francisco, CAQuad's selectivitySelective
Known forVery small student-faculty ratioVery diverse
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

5 in 10 applicants admitted

San Francisco Conservatory of Music admits about 5 in 10 applicants (55%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 81% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

55%

55%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

428

Admitted

235

Yield

27%

of admits enroll

Applications +30% since fall 2014 · admit rate 37% → 55%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 226 undergrads, where 17% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

226

undergrads · larger than 13% of colleges

Diversity index

0.80

Pell Grant

17%

below the median

Large city
Undergrads +33% since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Stringed Instruments (27% of graduates). 5 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 96% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $46,591 a year on instruction per student.

5 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 96% of colleges

Most popular major

Stringed Instruments

27% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Music

$49.2K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

100%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$46.6K

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 $45,480 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $21.2K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $43,746 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $81,532.

44%

$45.5K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $21.2K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$81,532 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
56% · avg $34K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 44% of full price

Federal loans

39%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost steady · −1% after inflation since 2014–15Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

72% graduate within six years.

72%

72%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median debt

$27K

≈ $286/month for 10 years

Retention

93%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 50% → 74% 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 2014–15, the full price rose 9% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid held about steady, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 30% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 37% to 55%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    −1% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +30%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 37% → 55%

  • Diversity

    Reported

Every series, year by year

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Cleveland Institute of Music

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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
    San Francisco Conservatory of Music (2026)

    San Francisco Conservatory of Music · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 122506 · 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