School of the Art Institute of Chicago vs Hampshire College
When it comes to higher education, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and Hampshire College stand out as two unique and compelling options. SAIC, a private art and design school located in the heart of Chicago, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of only 29%. Hampshire College, a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, takes a more holistic approach to admissions, resulting in a higher acceptance rate of 60%. While SAIC's student body is predominantly made up of students pursuing degrees in art and design, Hampshire College offers a wide range of majors, including popular choices like social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. With SAIC's graduation rate at 68% and Hampshire College's at 79%, both institutions demonstrate a strong commitment to student success. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more. Explore the table
|
![]() Hampshire College |
![]() School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Amherst, Massachusetts | Chicago, Illinois |
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 | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 72.0% | 83.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 75.1% | 81.0% |
Application fees |
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 | 1,340 | 5,835 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,007 | 4,725 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 133 | 669 |
Yield rate | 13.2% | 14.2% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Not 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 | $66,658 | $67,380 |
Average net price | $30,168 | $50,214 |
Tuition | $51,000 | $52,200 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,520
Meal plan:
$5,912
|
Room/dormitory:
$13,500
Meal plan:
$2,480
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
100.0%
Average amount $36,653 |
93.0%
Average amount $20,194 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
64.0%
Average amount $4,793 |
45.0%
Average amount $5,504 |
Students taking out private loans |
1.0%
Average amount $8,793 |
8.0%
Average amount $32,788 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
472
Men 38.1% Women 61.9% |
2,795
Men 24.8% Women 75.2% |
Graduate students | N/A |
764
Men 25.8% Women 74.2% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | 6.4% | 30.4% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | City: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,180 | 990 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | N/A |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 10:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | Higher Learning Commission |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 62.4% | 65.0% |
Dropout rate | 37.3% | 7.5% |
Transferred out | N/A | 25.6% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
Architecture (Master's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
|
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.
















































































































































































