CalArts vs. Colby-Sawyer

Comparable Facts

Compare California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA with Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California Institute of the Arts is larger than Colby-Sawyer based on total student enrollment (1,277 students vs. 972 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Colby Sawyer College is in New London, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Colby Sawyer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California Institute of the Arts 7:1; Colby Sawyer College 10:1.

CalArts vs. Colby-Sawyer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or Colby-Sawyer? 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 Colby Sawyer College than CalArts ($27,496 vs. $56,239).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 18.6% lower than at Colby Sawyer College ($14,134 vs. $17,364).
• California Institute of the Arts is 208.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colby-Sawyer (about $39,871 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 208.5% higher at CalArts than at Colby Sawyer College (about $39,871 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Colby Sawyer College than at California Institute of the Arts (100% vs. 95%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 93% larger than aid received by Colby Sawyer College students ($21,416 vs. $11,098).

CalArts vs. Colby-Sawyer Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or Colby-Sawyer? 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 Colby-Sawyer and CalArts.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CalArts - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind); Colby-Sawyer - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind).
• Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
• Colby-Sawyer has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than CalArts (32.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.9% at CalArts vs. 13% at Colby-Sawyer.

CalArts vs. Colby-Sawyer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CalArts and Colby-Sawyer? 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).

• California Institute of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Colby Sawyer College's (54%).
• Graduates from California Institute of the Arts earn a median of about $5,500 more per year than Colby-Sawyer graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,400 vs. $44,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Colby Sawyer College graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than CalArts graduates ($27,000 vs. $28,500).
• Among borrowers, Colby-Sawyer graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CalArts graduates ($279 vs. $294).
• More Colby-Sawyer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CalArts students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 64%)

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.