CalArts vs. San Francisco State

Should I go to California Institute of the Arts or San Francisco State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CalArts or San Francisco State 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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California Institute of the Arts vs. San Francisco State University comparison
California Institute of the Arts San Francisco State University College 3 College 4
California Institute of the Arts San Francisco State University
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Overview

CalArts San Francisco State
Location Valencia, CA San Francisco, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,440 25,282
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #789
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calarts.edu sfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CalArts San Francisco State
Tuition (In State) $54,440 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $54,440 $17,622
Room & Board $12,446 $17,955
Avg Net Price $55,225 $13,267
Avg Grant Aid $20,474 $9,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 72%

Admission

CalArts San Francisco State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,120 29,932
Admitted 525 28,195
Acceptance Rate 24.8% 94.2%
Enrolled % 36% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.31
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 16/23
SAT Range 930/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

CalArts San Francisco State
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

CalArts San Francisco State
Graduation Rate 65% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $52,600
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,500 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $294 $178

Diversity

CalArts San Francisco State
% Men 38% 43%
% Women 62% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 21%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 29%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 6%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 8% 5%

Students

CalArts San Francisco State
% In-State 32% 96%
% Out-of-State 38% 1%

Campus

CalArts San Francisco State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • San Francisco State University is larger than than CalArts based on total student enrollment (25,282 students vs. 1,440 students)

CalArts vs. San Francisco State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CalArts or San Francisco State?

  • California Institute of the Arts is 848.1% more expensive to attend than San Francisco State for in-state tuition ($54,440.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 208.9% higher at CalArts than San Francisco State University ($54,440.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco State University than CalArts ($13,267 vs. $55,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 44.3% lower than costs at San Francisco State University ($12,446 vs. $17,955)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Francisco State University than California Institute of the Arts (72% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of the Arts students is 108.3% larger than aid received San Francisco State University ($20,474 vs. $9,830)

CalArts vs. San Francisco State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or San Francisco State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Francisco State or CalArts .

  • San Francisco State has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than CalArts (24.8%)

CalArts vs. San Francisco State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CalArts or San Francisco State? 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 San Francisco State and CalArts.

  • The graduation rate at CalArts is higher than San Francisco State University (65% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from San Francisco State University earn on average $2,200 more per year than CalArts graduates after ten years. ($52,600 vs. $50,400)
  • San Francisco State University students graduate with a $11,250 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($17,250 vs. $28,500)
  • San Francisco State graduates are paying $116 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($178 vs. $294)
  • More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Francisco State students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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