School of Visual Arts
About
The School of Visual Arts (SVA) is a private college located in New York City that specializes in educating artists, designers, and other creative professionals. Founded in 1947, it currently offers 30 programs and has an enrollment of approximately 6,000 students supported by over 1,100 faculty members.
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
Non-Pell students graduate at a 6.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 17 Title IV programs, 5 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 6 fail. 6 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing5 · 29.4%
- No Data6 · 35.3%
- Failing6 · 35.3%
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.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
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
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Programmatic accreditations · 2
Action history · 6
- Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: OwnershipMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
- Jun 2021Voluntary Withdrawal ReceivedNational Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
- May 2020Renewal of AccreditationNational Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
- Oct 2017Renewal of AccreditationNational Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
- Jun 2017Renewal of AccreditationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
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, 645 students received $4.0M in Pell grants, alongside $28.9M 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 627 borrowers who entered repayment, 8 (1.2%) 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 School of Visual Arts
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 campus2
- Public property1
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.
School of Visual Arts vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions School of Visual Arts 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSchool of Visual Arts | 76% | — | 3,812 | $58,628 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Art Academy of Cincinnati | 41% | 34.5% | 213 | $38,041 | — |
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 | — |
California Institute of the Arts | 67% | 32.3% | 1,277 | $47,183 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
Cleveland Institute of Art | 58% | 61.3% | 545 | $41,480 | — |
College for Creative Studies | 71% | 91.9% | 1,433 | $33,342 | — |
Columbus College of Art & Design | 56% | 67.7% | 916 | $30,139 | — |
Cornish College of the Arts | 56% | 62.2% | 505 | $39,060 | — |
Cranbrook Academy of Art | — | — | 113 | — | — |
Kansas City Art Institute | 58% | 54.8% | 813 | $29,555 | — |
Laguna College of Art and Design | 52% | 94.3% | 775 | $42,354 | — |
Maine College of Art & Design | 52% | 76.1% | 475 | $36,443 | — |
Maryland Institute College of Art | 72% | 76.8% | 1,687 | $38,429 | — |
Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 69% | 76.3% | 1,989 | $23,764 | — |
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design | 67% | 60.5% | 838 | $27,514 | — |
Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 51% | 48.5% | 831 | $25,935 | — |
Montserrat College of Art | 53% | — | 227 | $34,725 | Baccalaureate |
Moore College of Art and Design | 57% | 56.5% | 549 | $43,369 | — |
Otis College of Art and Design | 66% | 81.8% | 1,267 | $45,864 | — |
Pacific Northwest College of Art | 29% | 74.8% | 466 | $40,846 | — |
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | 58% | — | 41 | $45,022 | — |
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | 69% | 99.2% | 414 | $29,266 | — |
Pratt Institute-Main | 74% | 73.3% | 5,356 | $50,647 | — |
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 | — |
School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 67% | 77.5% | 3,394 | $49,822 | — |
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | 81% | 20.7% | 933 | $16,478 | Baccalaureate |
University of the Arts | 69% | 78.2% | — | $44,154 | — |
| Peer group median | 67% | 73.3% | 877 | $41,163 |
School of Visual Arts Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research’s mission is to collect and analyze institutional data to support SVA’s goals and strategies.
Visit IR office page- Jerold L. DavisDirector, Institutional Research
Reports & documents (7)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardsva.edu
- Data definitionOffice of Institutional Research | School of Visual ArtsThe School of Visual Arts' Office of Institutional Research is responsible for collecting, organizing, and analyzing data to assist in management, operations, and planning. It plays a major role in processing College-wide data for better understanding and efficiency, and it supports teaching and learning through data-driven program assessments. The office disseminates institutional data and reports to various entities.sva.edu
- Data dictionaryData DictionaryThe Office of Institutional Research at the School of Visual Arts is responsible for collecting, organizing, and analyzing institutional data to support management, decision-making, and planning. It aids in understanding institutional perspectives and improving efficiency in resource use. The office also coordinates data dissemination, analyzes survey data, and assists with program reviews to enhance teaching and learning.sva.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookOffice of Institutional Research | School of Visual Arts | SVA NYC2023The Office of Institutional Research at the School of Visual Arts in NYC is responsible for collecting, organizing, and analyzing institutional data to support management and planning. It disseminates data, produces management information, and aids in program assessments to improve teaching and learning. Recent Factbooks from 2016 to 2023 and responses to accreditation self-studies are among its resources.sva.edu
- GlossaryOffice of Institutional Research | School of Visual Arts | SVA NYCThe Office of Institutional Research at the School of Visual Arts focuses on the collection, analysis, and dissemination of institutional data to support management, operations, decision-making, and planning. It provides data to governmental and accrediting bodies and assists departments in improving teaching and learning. The office offers several resources, including past annual Factbook reports and evaluation team reports for accreditation purposes.sva.edu
- Strategic planStrategic Plan | School of Visual Arts | SVA NYCThe School of Visual Arts' Strategic Plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to guide the institution over the next five years during a period of significant change. Central to this plan are strategic priorities that focus on curriculum dynamism, diversity, cross-departmental collaboration, and leveraging New York City's cultural landscape. Importantly, the plan addresses the need for adaptability to demographic and regulatory shifts, with strategic initiatives aimed at enrollment management, governance transformation, and financial sustainability through the planned transition to nonprofit status.sva.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of School of Visual Arts (21)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Aaron AugenblickAnimation
- John R. DilworthAnimation
- Rebecca SugarAnimation
- Dana TerraceAnimation
- Steve DitkoCartooning
- Keith HaringCartooning
- Gerard WayCartooning/Music
- Raina TelgemeierIllustration
- James JeanIllustration
- Jerry CraftCartooning
- Joe QuesadaCartooning
- Carlos SaldanhaFilm and video
Frequently asked questions about School of Visual Arts
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about School of Visual Arts.
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