Art Center College of Design
About
Art Center College of Design is a private art and design college located in Pasadena, California. It offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees focused on fields such as graphic design, industrial design, and transportation design. The specific founding year is not mentioned in the provided text.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell recipients graduate at a higher rate than non-Pell students here — unusual and worth investigating.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 18 Title IV programs, 5 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 2 fail. 11 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing5 · 27.8%
- No Data11 · 61.1%
- Failing2 · 11.1%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 1
Action history · 4
- Jun 2025Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
- May 2020Renewal of AccreditationNational Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
- Jun 2017Renewal of AccreditationWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Aug 2014Change in Agency recognitionNational Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation · Art and Design (ART) - Degree-granting schools and departments and non-degree-granting programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 612 students received $3.8M in Pell grants, alongside $11.7M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 388 borrowers who entered repayment, 4 (1.0%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Art Center College of Design
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus1
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Art Center College of Design vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Art Center College of Design selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectArt Center College of Design | 79% | — | 2,308 | $50,209 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
| 34% | — | 5,498 | $39,778 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 61% | 91.1% | 1,308 | $42,168 | — | |
| 94% | 2.6% | 2,430 | $18,902 | R1 Research | |
| 67% | 32.3% | 1,277 | $47,183 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | |
| 82% | 65.4% | 9,760 | $47,527 | R2 Research | |
| 58% | 61.3% | 545 | $41,480 | — | |
| 71% | 91.9% | 1,433 | $33,342 | — | |
| 56% | 67.7% | 916 | $30,139 | — | |
| 56% | 62.2% | 505 | $39,060 | — | |
| 58% | 54.8% | 813 | $29,555 | — | |
| 79% | 45.1% | 10,179 | $45,723 | R2 Research | |
| 72% | 76.8% | 1,687 | $38,429 | — | |
| 69% | 76.3% | 1,989 | $23,764 | — | |
| 67% | 60.5% | 838 | $27,514 | — | |
| 51% | 48.5% | 831 | $25,935 | — | |
| 62% | 16.7% | 640 | — | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | |
| 81% | 44.2% | 1,881 | $39,329 | Baccalaureate | |
| 66% | 81.8% | 1,267 | $45,864 | — | |
| 29% | 74.8% | 466 | $40,846 | — | |
| 83% | 25.2% | 1,242 | $31,663 | Baccalaureate | |
| 93% | 7.1% | 1,700 | $19,424 | Baccalaureate | |
| 74% | 73.3% | 5,356 | $50,647 | — | |
| 89% | 18.7% | 2,520 | $46,253 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 72% | 69.7% | 1,666 | $55,390 | — | |
| 69% | 83.0% | 18,550 | $45,450 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 67% | 77.5% | 3,394 | $49,822 | — | |
| 76% | 92.6% | 3,812 | $58,628 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 83% | 38.3% | 1,137 | $38,802 | Baccalaureate | |
| 92% | 3.6% | 18,625 | $12,136 | R1 Research | |
| 69% | 63.5% | 9,068 | $55,359 | R2 Research | |
University of the Arts | 69% | 78.2% | — | $44,154 | — |
| 60% | 81.6% | 849 | $28,248 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs | |
| Peer group median | 69% | 63.5% | 1,677 | $40,312 |
Institutions like Art Center College of Design
Explore the federal data for institutions in Art Center College of Design's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
Academy of Art University
Grad rate34%Admit rate—Enrollment5,498Net price$39,778View data - California
California College of the Arts
Grad rate61%Admit rate91.1%Enrollment1,308Net price$42,168View data - R1 ResearchCalifornia
California Institute of Technology
Grad rate94%Admit rate2.6%Enrollment2,430Net price$18,902View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsCalifornia
California Institute of the Arts
Grad rate67%Admit rate32.3%Enrollment1,277Net price$47,183View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
Chapman University
Grad rate82%Admit rate65.4%Enrollment9,760Net price$47,527View data - Ohio
Cleveland Institute of Art
Grad rate58%Admit rate61.3%Enrollment545Net price$41,480View data - Michigan
College for Creative Studies
Grad rate71%Admit rate91.9%Enrollment1,433Net price$33,342View data - Ohio
Columbus College of Art & Design
Grad rate56%Admit rate67.7%Enrollment916Net price$30,139View data - Washington
Cornish College of the Arts
Grad rate56%Admit rate62.2%Enrollment505Net price$39,060View data - Missouri
Kansas City Art Institute
Grad rate58%Admit rate54.8%Enrollment813Net price$29,555View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
Loyola Marymount University
Grad rate79%Admit rate45.1%Enrollment10,179Net price$45,723View data - Maryland
Maryland Institute College of Art
Grad rate72%Admit rate76.8%Enrollment1,687Net price$38,429View data - Massachusetts
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Grad rate69%Admit rate76.3%Enrollment1,989Net price$23,764View data - Wisconsin
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Grad rate67%Admit rate60.5%Enrollment838Net price$27,514View data - Minnesota
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Grad rate51%Admit rate48.5%Enrollment831Net price$25,935View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsCalifornia
Northeastern University Oakland
Grad rate62%Admit rate16.7%Enrollment640Net price—View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Occidental College
Grad rate81%Admit rate44.2%Enrollment1,881Net price$39,329View data - California
Otis College of Art and Design
Grad rate66%Admit rate81.8%Enrollment1,267Net price$45,864View data - Oregon
Pacific Northwest College of Art
Grad rate29%Admit rate74.8%Enrollment466Net price$40,846View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Pitzer College
Grad rate83%Admit rate25.2%Enrollment1,242Net price$31,663View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Pomona College
Grad rate93%Admit rate7.1%Enrollment1,700Net price$19,424View data - New York
Pratt Institute-Main
Grad rate74%Admit rate73.3%Enrollment5,356Net price$50,647View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsRhode Island
Rhode Island School of Design
Grad rate89%Admit rate18.7%Enrollment2,520Net price$46,253View data - Florida
Ringling College of Art and Design
Grad rate72%Admit rate69.7%Enrollment1,666Net price$55,390View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsGeorgia
Savannah College of Art and Design
Grad rate69%Admit rate83.0%Enrollment18,550Net price$45,450View data - Illinois
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Grad rate67%Admit rate77.5%Enrollment3,394Net price$49,822View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsNew York
School of Visual Arts
Grad rate76%Admit rate92.6%Enrollment3,812Net price$58,628View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Scripps College
Grad rate83%Admit rate38.3%Enrollment1,137Net price$38,802View data - R1 ResearchCalifornia
Stanford University
Grad rate92%Admit rate3.6%Enrollment18,625Net price$12,136View data - R2 ResearchNew York
The New School
Grad rate69%Admit rate63.5%Enrollment9,068Net price$55,359View data - Pennsylvania
University of the Arts
Grad rate69%Admit rate78.2%Enrollment—Net price$44,154 - Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsCalifornia
Woodbury University
Grad rate60%Admit rate81.6%Enrollment849Net price$28,248View data
Art Center College of Design Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research provides leadership on institutional data analysis and reporting to promote evidence-based decision-making and supports key departments with strategic data for planning.
Visit IR office pageReports & documents (1)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
Notable alumni of Art Center College of Design (19)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Michael BayFilm and Graduate Film
- Roger AvaryFilm and Graduate Film
- Ralph McQuarrieEntertainment Design
- Syd MeadEntertainment Design
- SangYup LeeTransportation Design
- Larry ShinodaTransportation Design
- Franz von HolzhausenTransportation Design
- Chip FooseTransportation Design
- Henrik FiskerTransportation Design
- Floyd NormanIllustration
- Andy ParkEntertainment Design
- Stefan G. BucherGraphic Design
Frequently asked questions about Art Center College of Design
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Art Center College of Design.
What is the graduation rate at Art Center College of Design?
How many students attend Art Center College of Design?
What is the average net price at Art Center College of Design?
What is the yield rate at Art Center College of Design?
Where is Art Center College of Design located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Art Center College of Design?
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