California College of the Arts vs Savannah College

California College of the Arts (CCA) and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) stand out as two of the most prestigious art and design schools in the United States. While both institutions offer a wide range of programs and opportunities for aspiring artists and designers, there are some key differences between them. CCA, located in the heart of San Francisco, boasts a vibrant urban campus and a strong focus on contemporary art practices. SCAD, on the other hand, has multiple campuses across the country, including its main campus in Savannah, Georgia, and is known for its rigorous academic programs and its emphasis on traditional art forms. With different acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, CCA and SCAD cater to distinct student profiles and career aspirations. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your unique artistic journey.
California College of the Arts logo

California College of the Arts

Savannah College of Art and Design logo

Savannah College of Art and Design

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Savannah, Georgia
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 82.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 77.6% 80.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $100

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 14,914
Total number of admissions given out 2,210 12,047
Admitted students who chose to enroll 209 2,685
Yield rate 9.5% 22.3%
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 $57,206
Average net price $40,231 $45,163
Tuition $51,792 $38,340
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $13,467

Meal plan: $5,650
Room/dormitory: $10,752

Meal plan: $4,596
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

84.0%
Average amount $28,928
97.0%
Average amount $12,662
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $5,627
44.0%
Average amount $5,046
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $27,943
11.0%
Average amount $28,403

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,249
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
12,772
Men 30.8% Women 69.2%
Graduate students 381
Men 29.9% Women 70.1%
2,864
Men 29.4% Women 70.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 79.7%
International students 40.3% 24.4%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 761 5,813
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Georgia Florida Texas New Jersey New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Architecture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Communications Technology
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 65.4% 71.5%
Dropout rate 34.2% 13.2%
Transferred out N/A 14.5%
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
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,213
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $89,877
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,772
  • Year 2: $56,544
  • Year 3: $60,070
Architectural Sciences and Technology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,166
  • Year 2: $53,894
  • Year 3: $58,292
Apparel and Textiles (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,532
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $50,094
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,934
  • Year 2: $44,817
  • Year 3: $50,056
Historic Preservation and Conservation (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,327
  • Year 2: $44,468
  • Year 3: $48,513
Architectural Sciences and Technology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,117
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $48,074
Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,941
  • Year 2: $44,858
  • Year 3: $46,479
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,603
  • Year 2: $38,721
  • Year 3: $44,614
Apparel and Textiles (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,839
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $44,342

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.