The Juilliard School vs American Conservatory Theater

The Juilliard School and American Conservatory Theater (ACT) are two prestigious institutions offering specialized training in the performing arts. While both schools share a commitment to artistic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. Juilliard, located in New York City, boasts a lower acceptance rate (5.5%) compared to ACT's 35%, indicating a highly selective admissions process. Juilliard's student body is predominantly focused on music studies, with popular majors including instrumental performance, vocal arts, and composition. In contrast, ACT, based in San Francisco, emphasizes theater arts, with popular majors such as acting, directing, and stage management. ACT's student body reflects this focus, with a larger proportion pursuing theater-related degrees. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting the key differences between these two esteemed institutions, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates.
American Conservatory Theater logo

American Conservatory Theater

The Juilliard School logo

The Juilliard School

Overview

Location San Francisco, California New York, New York
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 96.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate N/A 7.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $90
Undergraduate: $110

Graduate: $110
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 2,342
Total number of admissions given out 174
Admitted students who chose to enroll 110
Yield rate 63.2%
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) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $51,676 $73,494
Average net price $40,304
Tuition $30,235 $51,230
Room & board $19,810
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

94.0%
Average amount $36,201
Students receiving federal student loan 33.0%
Average amount $5,335
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $17,937

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
602
Men 53.7% Women 46.3%
Graduate students 13
Men 46.2% Women 53.8%
377
Men 52.8% Women 47.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity N/A
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 27.8%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity N/A 348
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
Students to faculty ratio 6:1 4:1
Institutional accreditation N/A Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 100.0% 87.2%
Dropout rate N/A 9.2%
Transferred out N/A 3.7%
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
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,174
  • Year 2: $24,532
  • Year 3: $29,095
Dance (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Dance (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,194
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,235
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A