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Columbus College of Art & Design
Most applicants get into Columbus College of Art & Design — 67.7% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
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Columbus College of Art & Design sits in Columbus proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Design and Applied Arts, where graduates median $48,204 four years out. Faculty pay averages $67,956 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 882 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 80.3% of first-years come back for a second year.
Columbus College of Art & Design 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
Columbus College of Art & Design does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 67.7% who got into Columbus College of Art & Design did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Columbus College of Art & Design received 867 applications and admitted 622 (71.7%), with 192 enrolling.
How Columbus College of Art & Design compares
| Columbus College of Art & Design | Ohio median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 67.7% | 76.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $40,825 | $29,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $40,664 | $52,356 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, Columbus College of Art & Design's median earnings are $40,664 — below the Ohio benchmark of $52,356. Weigh that against the $40,825 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
Columbus College of Art & Design lists tuition at $40,825 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Columbus College of Art & Design's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $40,825 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 882 undergraduates, Columbus College of Art & Design is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
55.6% graduate within six years. Roughly 44% don't — ask a Columbus College of Art & Design tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Columbus College of Art & Design
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $48,204 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $43,661 |
| Graphic Communications | $33,389 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $32,061 |
Median earnings for these 4 Columbus College of Art & Design programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $40,664 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 1 additional Columbus College of Art & Design program has earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Columbus College of Art & Design?
Columbus College of Art & Design doesn't look at test scores; its 67.7% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is Columbus College of Art & Design's acceptance rate?
71.7% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 622 admitted from 867 applicants.
How much does Columbus College of Art & Design cost?
At Columbus College of Art & Design, published tuition is $40,825 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Columbus College of Art & Design's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Columbus College of Art & Design graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $40,664 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Ohio
- Cleveland Institute of Art — 61.4% admitted
- University of Dayton — 65.5% admitted
- Cedarville University — 65.3% admitted
- The University of Findlay — 83.4% 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.