Art Center College of Design vs Design Institute of San Diego

Art Center College of Design and Design Institute of San Diego, both esteemed institutions in the realm of art and design education, offer distinct experiences for aspiring creatives. Art Center, located in Pasadena, California, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 25%, while Design Institute of San Diego, situated in the vibrant city of San Diego, California, welcomes a broader range of applicants with an acceptance rate of 100%. While Art Center's student body primarily comprises undergraduates, Design Institute of San Diego caters to a diverse mix of undergraduate and graduate students. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details regarding these institutions, including popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and career goals.
Art Center College of Design logo

Art Center College of Design

Design Institute of San Diego logo

Design Institute of San Diego

Overview

Location Pasadena, California San Diego, California
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (For Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 85.0% 50.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.6% 100.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $25
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 4
Total number of admissions given out 742 4
Admitted students who chose to enroll 269 4
Yield rate 36.3% 100.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $72,066 $48,752
Average net price $50,420 $34,113
Tuition $47,334 $25,500
Room & board
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 $5,309
Students receiving federal student loan 39.0%
Average amount $5,367
100.0%
Average amount $6,804
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $38,675
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,028
Men 41.7% Women 58.3%
119
Men 10.9% Women 89.1%
Graduate students 291
Men 42.6% Women 57.4%
8
Men 0.0% Women 100.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 25.0%
International students 45.4% 3.9%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Kansas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 75.9% 50.0%
Dropout rate 9.8% 50.0%
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
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,661
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A