Laguna College of Art and Design (LCA&D) vs American Conservatory Theater

Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) and American Conservatory Theater (ACT) are two esteemed institutions offering specialized education in the arts. LCAD, located in Laguna Beach, California, focuses on visual arts, while ACT, based in San Francisco, California, emphasizes theater and acting. With acceptance rates of 75% and 25%, respectively, LCAD is more accessible, while ACT is highly selective. LCAD's popular majors include Drawing and Painting, Illustration, and Graphic Design, while ACT's primary focus is on Acting. The student body demographics differ, with LCAD having a larger female population (65%) and ACT having a more balanced gender ratio (52% female, 48% male). ACT boasts a higher graduation rate (85%) compared to LCAD's 65%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table below, highlighting key aspects of each institution. Explore the table to find
American Conservatory Theater logo

American Conservatory Theater

Laguna College of Art and Design logo

Laguna College of Art and Design

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Laguna Beach, California
Campus setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
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 78.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate N/A 83.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $90
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 581
Total number of admissions given out 484
Admitted students who chose to enroll 123
Yield rate 25.4%
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 $58,264
Average net price $40,669
Tuition $30,235 $33,600
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $12,284
Students receiving federal student loan 72.0%
Average amount $7,045
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $27,732

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
735
Men 26.4% Women 73.6%
Graduate students 13
Men 46.2% Women 53.8%
31
Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity N/A
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 5.1%
Campus local/setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity N/A 56
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 8:1
Institutional accreditation N/A Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 100.0% 70.4%
Dropout rate N/A 29.6%
Transferred out N/A N/A
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
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,279
  • Year 2: $21,234
  • Year 3: N/A
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,564
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: N/A

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