School of the Art Institute of Chicago vs Minneapolis College of Art and Design

When it comes to art and design education, two prominent institutions that often come to mind are the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). While both schools offer a comprehensive range of programs and a vibrant artistic community, they also have distinct characteristics that set them apart. This side-by-side comparison delves into the key differences between SAIC and MCAD, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Whether you're an aspiring artist, designer, or art enthusiast, this comparison will help you understand the unique strengths and offerings of each institution, enabling you to make an informed decision about your educational journey.

	Minneapolis College of Art and Design	School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Overview
Location	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Chicago, Illinois
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 and Graduate
Students retention rate	77.0%	83.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	65.5%	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	638	5,835
Total number of admissions given out	418	4,725
Admitted students who chose to enroll	163	669
Yield rate	39.0%	14.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	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	$55,702	$67,380
Average net price	$28,520	$50,214
Tuition	$41,344	$52,200
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,980 Meal plan: $1,200	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)	100.0% Average amount $25,957	93.0% Average amount $20,194
Students receiving federal student loan	96.0% Average amount $5,416	45.0% Average amount $5,504
Students taking out private loans	20.0% Average amount $15,914	8.0% Average amount $32,788

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	675 Men 31.6% Women 68.4%	2,795 Men 24.8% Women 75.2%
Graduate students	100 Men 22.0% Women 78.0%	764 Men 25.8% Women 74.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	44.4%	N/A
International students	4.1%	30.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	288	990
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Minnesota Wisconsin Illinois Iowa South Dakota	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts Communications Technology Business Communication and Journalism Precision Production	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Health Professions Education Architecture
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	66.2%	65.0%
Dropout rate	18.6%	7.5%
Transferred out	15.2%	25.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,967 Year 3: $34,987 Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,412 Year 2: $25,967 Year 3: $34,268 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $25,993 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $28,847 Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,090 Year 2: $18,771 Year 3: $26,963 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,098 Year 2: $22,192 Year 3: $25,223 Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,078 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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School of the Art Institute of Chicago vs Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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