Chapman vs Art Center College of Design

Chapman University and Art Center College of Design, two esteemed institutions in Orange County, California, offer distinct educational experiences. Chapman, with an acceptance rate of 65%, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including popular majors like business, film, and psychology. Art Center, known for its rigorous admissions process (acceptance rate of 18%), specializes in art and design, attracting students passionate about visual arts, entertainment design, and product design. While Chapman's larger student body fosters a vibrant campus life, Art Center's smaller size ensures personalized attention and a close-knit community. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with Chapman at 82% and Art Center at 85%, indicating their commitment to student success. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Art Center College of Design	Chapman University
Overview
Location	Pasadena, California	Orange, California
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	85.0%	92.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation		Protestant

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.6%	60.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60
SAT range	N/A	1210 - 1410
ACT range	N/A	26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score		22.0%
Students submitting ACT score		13.0%
Total number of applicants	982	15,098
Total number of admissions given out	742	9,115
Admitted students who chose to enroll	269	1,658
Yield rate	36.3%	18.2%
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	$77,782
Average net price	$50,420	$40,451
Tuition	$47,334	$58,250
Room & board		Room/dormitory: $11,086 Meal plan: $5,456
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	64.0% Average amount $17,667	91.0% Average amount $30,614
Students receiving federal student loan	39.0% Average amount $5,367	54.0% Average amount $5,569
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $38,675	4.0% Average amount $23,668

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,028 Men 41.7% Women 58.3%	7,714 Men 39.9% Women 60.1%
Graduate students	291 Men 42.6% Women 57.4%	2,277 Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	33.1%
International students	45.4%	4.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	N/A	3,714
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	California Washington Colorado Oregon Hawaii

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts Engineering Technologies Communications Technology Architecture Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Business Legal Profession Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio	8:1	12:1
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%	79.9%
Dropout rate	9.8%	20.0%
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	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $76,310 Year 2: $80,459 Year 3: $88,247 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $77,350 Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: $85,828 Law (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $69,721 Year 2: $58,479 Year 3: $82,686 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $64,468 Year 2: $68,422 Year 3: $79,211 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,856 Year 2: $65,651 Year 3: $74,073 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $83,362 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $69,038 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,455 Year 2: $50,856 Year 3: $67,344 Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,707 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $63,526 Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,212 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $63,007 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,423 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: $62,368

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