AU vs. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Should I go to American University or School of the Art Institute of Chicago? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or School of the Art Institute of Chicago is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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American University vs. School of the Art Institute of Chicago comparison
American University School of the Art Institute of Chicago College 3 College 4
American University School of the Art Institute of Chicago
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Overview

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Location Washington, DC Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,885 3,532
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #484
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu saic.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $53,550
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $53,550
Room & Board $15,706 $16,550
Avg Net Price $41,369 $53,923
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $18,290
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 100%

Admission

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 6,075
Admitted 7,926 4,797
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 79%
Enrolled % 22.2% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.51
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32 22/25
SAT Range 1290/1430 1048/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Nov 15, 2023

Academics

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (96%)
  • English and Literature (3%)
  • Architecture (2%)

Outcomes

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Graduation Rate 77% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $25,713
Median Loan Payment $250 $265

Diversity

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
% Men 37% 25%
% Women 63% 75%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 36%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 7% 32%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
% In-State 2% 11%
% Out-of-State 94% 59%

Campus

 AU School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than School of the Art Institute of Chicago based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 3,532 students)

AU vs. School of the Art Institute of Chicago Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or School of the Art Institute of Chicago?

  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago is 0.9% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($53,550.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at School of the Art Institute of Chicago than American University ($53,550.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at American University than School of the Art Institute of Chicago ($41,369 vs. $53,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 5.4% lower than costs at School of the Art Institute of Chicago ($15,706 vs. $16,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at School of the Art Institute of Chicago than American University (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 48.4% larger than aid received School of the Art Institute of Chicago ($27,138 vs. $18,290)

AU vs. School of the Art Institute of Chicago Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or School of the Art Institute of Chicago? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between School of the Art Institute of Chicago or AU .

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 97 points higher than at School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1155)
  • Incoming AU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at School of the Art Institute of Chicago (25)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at School of the Art Institute of Chicago (3.51)
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago has a higher acceptance rate (79%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. School of the Art Institute of Chicago Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or School of the Art Institute of Chicago? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between School of the Art Institute of Chicago and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than School of the Art Institute of Chicago (77% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $25,700 more per year than School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $39,100)
  • American University students graduate with a $1,463 lower median federal student loan debt than School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,713)
  • AU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates. ($250 vs. $265)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former School of the Art Institute of Chicago students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/