Art Center College of Design vs. Cal State Long Beach

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with California State University Long Beach in Long Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Long Beach is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (42,003 students vs. 2,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Long Beach is in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Long Beach is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Long Beach 23:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. Cal State Long Beach Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or Cal State Long Beach? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Long Beach than Art Center College of Design ($10,607 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 20.5% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($15,612 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 637% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State Long Beach (about $46,820 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 171.5% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Long Beach (about $34,220 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Long Beach than at Art Center College of Design (76% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 90% larger than aid received by California State University Long Beach students ($22,412 vs. $11,795).

Art Center College of Design vs. Cal State Long Beach Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or Cal State Long Beach? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cal State Long Beach and Art Center College of Design.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Long Beach 1020/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Long Beach 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; Cal State Long Beach - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State Long Beach Nov 30, 2026.
• Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than Cal State Long Beach (46.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 16.7% at Cal State Long Beach.

Art Center College of Design vs. Cal State Long Beach Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and Cal State Long Beach? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• The graduation rate at Art Center College of Design is the same as at California State University Long Beach (54% vs. 54%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $7,200 more per year than Cal State Long Beach graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $51,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Long Beach graduates have a $16,250 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($15,000 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, Cal State Long Beach graduates have an estimated $168 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($155 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.