California Institute of the Arts vs Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art are two prestigious institutions offering unique educational experiences in the arts. CalArts, located in Valencia, California, is known for its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary arts education, while Cooper Union, situated in New York City, focuses on art, architecture, and engineering. With acceptance rates of 29% and 10%, respectively, both schools are highly selective, attracting talented students from around the world. CalArts boasts a diverse student body, with 40% of its undergraduates identifying as students of color, while Cooper Union's student body is predominantly white (63%). Popular majors at CalArts include Film/Video, Music, and Theater, while Cooper Union is renowned for its programs in Architecture, Fine Arts, and Engineering. Both institutions offer excellent graduation rates, with CalArts reporting a 75% four-year graduation rate and Cooper Union achieving a 91% six-
California Institute of the Arts logo

California Institute of the Arts

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art logo

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Overview

Location Valencia, California New York, New York
Campus setting Suburb: Large 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 94.0% 91.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 29.0% 14.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,364 2,678
Total number of admissions given out 685 393
Admitted students who chose to enroll 203 210
Yield rate 29.6% 53.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $79,792 $67,146
Average net price $53,916 $20,757
Tuition $52,850 $44,550
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,040

Meal plan: $5,095
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $18,119
100.0%
Average amount $38,212
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $5,615
20.0%
Average amount $4,814
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $12,000
1.0%
Average amount $24,000

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 965
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
876
Men 53.2% Women 46.8%
Graduate students 479
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
60
Men 80.0% Women 20.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 36.5%
International students 29.0% 14.6%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 441 170
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 Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • English Language and Literature
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Engineering
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Architecture
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 71.9% 83.4%
Dropout rate 28.1% 11.8%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,469
  • Year 2: $32,563
  • Year 3: $36,735
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $14,239
  • Year 2: $23,456
  • Year 3: $29,527
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $29,030
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,555
  • Year 2: $22,420
  • Year 3: $28,984
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,629
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $28,791
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,992
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $22,579
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,918
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $21,662
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,425
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $21,635
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,773
  • Year 2: $15,182
  • Year 3: N/A
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,840
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $20,818
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $19,405
Astronomy and Astrophysics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,379
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: N/A

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