The University of the Arts (UArts) vs Art Center College of Design

The University of the Arts and Art Center College of Design, both esteemed institutions in the realm of art and design education, offer distinct experiences for aspiring creatives. The University of the Arts, located in the heart of Philadelphia, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of programs, while Art Center College of Design, with campuses in Pasadena and Denver, emphasizes a rigorous curriculum and a strong focus on industry connections. With acceptance rates of 75% and 38%, respectively, these institutions cater to different levels of competitiveness. While The University of the Arts excels in majors like Fine Arts, Music, and Dance, Art Center College of Design shines in fields such as Graphic Design, Illustration, and Entertainment Design. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your artistic journey.
Art Center College of Design logo

Art Center College of Design

The University of the Arts logo

The University of the Arts

Overview

Location Pasadena, California Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 85.0% 87.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.6% 85.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 982 1,293
Total number of admissions given out 742 1,101
Admitted students who chose to enroll 269 269
Yield rate 36.3% 24.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $72,066 $68,690
Average net price $50,420 $25,932
Tuition $47,334 $48,350
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,380

Meal plan: $6,250
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

64.0%
Average amount $17,667
100.0%
Average amount $26,798
Students receiving federal student loan 39.0%
Average amount $5,367
94.0%
Average amount $5,851
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $38,675
21.0%
Average amount $24,297

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,028
Men 41.7% Women 58.3%
1,397
Men 34.7% Women 65.3%
Graduate students 291
Men 42.6% Women 57.4%
160
Men 28.8% Women 71.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 45.4% 2.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 582
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Education
  • Communications Technology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 75.9% 68.1%
Dropout rate 9.8% 31.7%
Transferred out 8.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,017
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: $57,513
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,536
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $27,282
Architectural Sciences and Technology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,380
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,126
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,973
  • Year 2: $81,702
  • Year 3: N/A
Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,061
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,685
  • Year 2: $20,824
  • Year 3: N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $11,851
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,249
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,721
  • Year 2: $50,677
  • Year 3: $49,511
Museology/Museum Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,796
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $44,041
Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,047
  • Year 2: $21,964
  • Year 3: $30,926
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,932
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $29,322
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,815
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $28,945
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,696
  • Year 2: $21,052
  • Year 3: $28,612
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,267
  • Year 2: $21,613
  • Year 3: $26,673
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,297
  • Year 2: $18,771
  • Year 3: $25,853
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,067
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: $25,752
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,579
  • Year 2: $19,358
  • Year 3: $25,140

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