Quad
Cleveland Institute of ArtCleveland, OH · Private nonprofit

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Illustration (34% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 47% of faculty are full-time. Spends $14,182 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

98 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 79% of graduates; 13 programs in 3 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Illustration 50.041034% 33
    Graduates in this field earn $47,147 4 years out
  2. Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects 10.030420% 20
  3. Game and Interactive Media Design 50.04119.2% 9
    Graduates in this field earn $47,147 4 years out
  4. Graphic Design 50.04099.2% 9
    Graduates in this field earn $47,147 4 years out
  5. Industrial and Product Design 50.04046.1% 6
    Graduates in this field earn $47,147 4 years out

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Design and Applied Arts$47,147 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $23,358

    4 years after completion$47,147
    National median: $51,490Below typical

    Median federal debt: $27,000 · 120 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Fine and Studio Arts$33,253 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $18,839

    4 years after completion$33,253
    National median: $41,367Below typical

    Median federal debt: $27,000 · 59 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Graphic Communications$19,409 1 yr out

    1 year after completion: $19,409

    4 years after completion: Too few graduates to report

    Median federal debt: $27,000 · 35 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college9 to 1
9 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 84% of 1,892More students per faculty →

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Full-time faculty47%
National median: 67%Below typical
Average faculty salary

$64,210

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other private nonprofit colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable.

Instruction spending per student$14,182
$14,182
← Lessmore than 70% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$69,908
$69,908
← Lessmore than 69% of 1,065More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)