Kansas City Art Institute vs American Conservatory Theater

Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) and American Conservatory Theater (ACT) are two esteemed institutions offering specialized education in the arts. KCAI, a private art college, boasts a 90% acceptance rate and is renowned for its rigorous fine arts programs, particularly in painting, drawing, and sculpture. ACT, a renowned performing arts conservatory, has a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of only 7%. It excels in theater, acting, and musical theater, preparing students for careers on stage and screen. While KCAI's student body is predominantly female (70%), ACT's student population is more evenly distributed between genders. Both institutions offer a vibrant campus life and supportive learning environments, but their distinct programs and acceptance rates cater to different aspirations and skill sets. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your artistic ambitions and academic goals.
American Conservatory Theater logo

American Conservatory Theater

Kansas City Art Institute logo

Kansas City Art Institute

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Kansas City, Missouri
Campus setting City: 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
Students retention rate 74.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate N/A 60.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $90
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 897
Total number of admissions given out 538
Admitted students who chose to enroll 206
Yield rate 38.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $51,676 $52,075
Average net price $27,274
Tuition $30,235 $39,975
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,700

Meal plan: $3,425
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $26,787
Students receiving federal student loan 76.0%
Average amount $4,963
Students taking out private loans 14.0%
Average amount $16,562

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
726
Men 25.9% Women 74.1%
Graduate students 13
Men 46.2% Women 53.8%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity N/A
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 0.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 229
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation N/A Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 100.0% 62.1%
Dropout rate N/A 17.2%
Transferred out N/A 20.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $18,087
  • Year 3: $27,588
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,327
  • Year 2: $27,947
  • Year 3: $39,160
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,126
  • Year 2: $27,476
  • Year 3: $28,754
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,245
  • Year 2: $22,715
  • Year 3: $28,248
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,235
  • Year 2: $20,140
  • Year 3: $23,530
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,580
  • Year 3: N/A

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.
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