California Institute of the Arts
About
The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art school in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both the visual and performing arts. It offers Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. It is located about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Admissions funnel
How selective is this institution, and how many admitted students choose to enroll?
Outcomes & equity
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 6.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
What families actually pay
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.
Academic programs
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Faculty
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
CIA vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions CIA 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectCalifornia Institute of the Arts | 67% | 32.3% | 1,277 | $47,183 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
American Musical and Dramatic Academy | 52% | 24.5% | 1,452 | $41,019 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Art Center College of Design | 79% | 74.5% | 2,308 | $50,209 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs |
California College of the Arts | 61% | 91.1% | 1,308 | $42,168 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Manhattan School of Music | 78% | 40.8% | 1,084 | $47,599 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Maryland Institute College of Art | 72% | 76.8% | 1,687 | $38,429 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 51% | 48.5% | 831 | $25,935 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Otis College of Art and Design | 66% | 81.8% | 1,267 | $45,864 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Pratt Institute-Main | 74% | 73.3% | 5,356 | $50,647 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
Rhode Island School of Design | 89% | 18.7% | 2,520 | $46,253 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Ringling College of Art and Design | 72% | 69.7% | 1,666 | $55,390 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
San Francisco Conservatory of Music | 74% | 54.9% | 439 | $42,448 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 67% | 77.5% | 3,394 | $49,822 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
School of Visual Arts | 76% | 92.6% | 3,812 | $58,628 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
The Juilliard School | 91% | 9.2% | 1,073 | $37,903 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
University of the Arts | 69% | 78.2% | — | $44,154 | Associates Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
| Peer group median | 72% | 71.5% | 1,452 | $46,059 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The page includes extensive information about cookie consent and usage but does not provide any specific details about the Institutional Effectiveness office at California Institute of the Arts. It mostly outlines how different types of cookies are used on their website for necessary, preference, statistics, marketing, and unclassified purposes.
Visit IR office pageDocuments & reports (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFactbook2026This page is part of the California Institute of the Arts website and includes a variety of sections related to the institution, such as academics, admissions, life at the institute, and more. The page includes various links to different resources, support services, and information about campus life. No specific key metrics or detailed data about the institution's performance or statistics are provided in the given text. The site also contains comprehensive cookie and privacy policy information, indicating its commitment to user privacy and data management.calarts.edu
- Strategic planShaping CalArts Future2021The strategic framework 'Shaping CalArts Future' outlines a bold vision for the institution's next 50 years, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to arts education. Key pillars include maximizing the educational experience, removing access barriers, and ensuring long-term institutional sustainability. The plan consists of seven strategic goals focusing on sustainability, inclusivity, and expansion of CalArts' reach and impact both locally and globally.strategicframework.calarts.edu
Grants & funding opportunities (2)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
IR job openings (3)
Institutional Research and analytics roles currently posted at this institution.
Notable alumni (10)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Sofia CoppolaFilm
- Catherine OpieArt
- Tim BurtonFilm
- Ed HarrisActing
- Don CheadleActing
- John LasseterFilm
- Genndy TartakovskyAnimation
- Paul ReubensComedy
- Mark BradfordArt
- James MangoldFilm
Have a question this page can’t answer?
Ask Clema anything about California Institute of the Arts and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card