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California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts admits nearly everyone — 91.1% of applicants. A feature, not a flaw: the page below asks whether California College of the Arts is worth attending, not whether you'll get in.
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California College of the Arts sits in San Francisco proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 31.9% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Human Computer Interaction, where graduates median $149,149 four years out. Faculty pay averages $117,420 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 990 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 86.7% of first-years come back for a second year.
California College of the Arts won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
California College of the Arts does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 91.1% who got into California College of the Arts did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, California College of the Arts received 3,661 applications and admitted 2,687 (73.4%), with 186 enrolling.
How California College of the Arts compares
| California College of the Arts | California median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 91.1% | 75.7% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $60,226 | $23,000 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $49,414 | $64,778 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, California College of the Arts's median earnings are $49,414 — below the California benchmark of $64,778. Weigh that against the $60,226 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
California College of the Arts lists tuition at $60,226 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. California College of the Arts's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $60,226 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 990 undergraduates, California College of the Arts is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
61.2% graduate within six years. Roughly 39% don't — ask a California College of the Arts tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at California College of the Arts
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Human Computer Interaction | $149,149 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $59,238 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $44,012 |
| Graphic Communications | $31,068 |
Median earnings for these 4 California College of the Arts programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $49,414 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 7 additional California College of the Arts programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for California College of the Arts?
California College of the Arts doesn't look at test scores; its 91.1% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is California College of the Arts's acceptance rate?
73.4% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,687 admitted from 3,661 applicants.
How much does California College of the Arts cost?
At California College of the Arts, published tuition is $60,226 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is California College of the Arts's ceiling, not a quote.
What do California College of the Arts graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $49,414 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in California
- California State University-Bakersfield — 93.8% admitted
- California State University-Stanislaus — 98.1% admitted
- California State University-San Bernardino — 93.7% admitted
- California State University-Chico — 92.7% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.