School of the Art Institute of Chicago vs Art Center College of Design

When it comes to art and design education, two prominent institutions stand out: the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and the Art Center College of Design (ACCD). While both offer exceptional programs, they differ in several key aspects. SAIC boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating its highly selective admissions process, while ACCD has a higher acceptance rate, making it more accessible to aspiring artists. In terms of popular majors, SAIC excels in Fine Arts, while ACCD specializes in Design. The student body demographics also vary, with SAIC having a larger international student population and ACCD having a higher percentage of female students. As for graduation rates, SAIC has a slightly higher rate, suggesting a strong commitment to student success. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more. Explore the table to discover which institution aligns best with your artistic aspirations and academic goals.

	Art Center College of Design	School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Overview
Location	Pasadena, California	Chicago, Illinois
Campus setting	City: Midsize	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	85.0%	83.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.6%	81.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $45
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants	982	5,835
Total number of admissions given out	742	4,725
Admitted students who chose to enroll	269	669
Yield rate	36.3%	14.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not 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	$67,380
Average net price	$50,420	$50,214
Tuition	$47,334	$52,200
Room & board		Room/dormitory: $13,500 Meal plan: $2,480
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	64.0% Average amount $17,667	93.0% Average amount $20,194
Students receiving federal student loan	39.0% Average amount $5,367	45.0% Average amount $5,504
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $38,675	8.0% Average amount $32,788

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,028 Men 41.7% Women 58.3%	2,795 Men 24.8% Women 75.2%
Graduate students	291 Men 42.6% Women 57.4%	764 Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	45.4%	30.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	N/A	990
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 Engineering Technologies Communications Technology Architecture Computer and Information Science	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Health Professions Education Architecture
Students to faculty ratio	8:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	75.9%	65.0%
Dropout rate	9.8%	7.5%
Transferred out	8.6%	25.6%
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	Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,981 Year 2: $22,192 Year 3: $28,893 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $26,095 Year 2: $22,055 Year 3: $27,442 Architecture (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,707 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,461 Year 2: $35,600 Year 3: N/A Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $27,550 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,246 Year 2: $38,829 Year 3: N/A

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Art Center College of Design

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