California College of the Arts vs Fashion Institute of Technology

California College of the Arts (CCA) and Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) stand out as premier institutions for students seeking a creative and specialized education in the arts and design. CCA, located in the vibrant city of San Francisco, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on interdisciplinary learning, while FIT, situated in the heart of New York City's fashion district, offers a unique blend of technical expertise and industry connections. With acceptance rates of 68% and 48%, respectively, both institutions maintain a selective admissions process, ensuring a high caliber of students. While CCA's popular majors include Fine Arts, Illustration, and Graphic Design, FIT's strengths lie in Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, and Jewelry Design. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details on these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the ideal fit for your academic and creative aspirations.
California College of the Arts logo

California College of the Arts

Fashion Institute of Technology logo

Fashion Institute of Technology

Overview

Location San Francisco, California New York, New York
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 82.0% 86.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 77.6% 51.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $100
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,847 4,706
Total number of admissions given out 2,210 2,432
Admitted students who chose to enroll 209 1,262
Yield rate 9.5% 51.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $73,634
In state: $38,163

Out of state: $48,743
Average net price $40,231 $8,637
Tuition $51,792
In state: $5,290

Out of state: $15,870
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $13,467

Meal plan: $5,650
Room/dormitory: $21,200

Meal plan: $5,800
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

84.0%
Average amount $28,928
53.0%
Average amount $8,521
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $5,627
29.0%
Average amount $5,268
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $27,943
4.0%
Average amount $14,663

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,249
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
7,908
Men 16.7% Women 83.3%
Graduate students 381
Men 29.9% Women 70.1%
242
Men 14.9% Women 85.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 41.0%
International students 40.3% 10.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 761 2,200
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A New York New Jersey California Florida Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Communications Technology
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 65.4% 82.1%
Dropout rate 34.2% 8.5%
Transferred out N/A 8.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,106
  • Year 2: $77,536
  • Year 3: $105,977
Architecture (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,344
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $66,934
Architecture (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,396
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $61,388
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,949
  • Year 2: $39,860
  • Year 3: $49,787
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,472
  • Year 2: $34,467
  • Year 3: $38,025
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,206
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $37,442
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,698
  • Year 2: $30,409
  • Year 3: $23,743
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,560
  • Year 2: $15,552
  • Year 3: $19,229
Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,520
  • Year 2: $86,129
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,170
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,667
  • Year 2: $45,889
  • Year 3: $53,713
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,868
  • Year 2: $42,458
  • Year 3: $52,154
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,104
  • Year 2: $41,689
  • Year 3: $51,045
Apparel and Textiles (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,008
  • Year 2: $43,638
  • Year 3: $49,445
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,289
  • Year 2: $41,076
  • Year 3: $47,750
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,549
  • Year 2: $29,374
  • Year 3: $43,094
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,884
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $40,670
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $38,223
Design and Applied Arts (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,128
  • Year 2: $17,461
  • Year 3: $35,215
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,754
  • Year 2: $22,329
  • Year 3: $33,231