Menlo vs. Cornish College of the Arts

Comparable Facts

Compare Menlo College in Atherton, CA with Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Menlo College is larger than Cornish College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (810 students vs. 505 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Menlo College is located in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting); Cornish College of the Arts is in Seattle, WA (Large City setting).
• Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cornish College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Menlo College 14:1; Cornish College of the Arts 6:1.

Menlo vs. Cornish College of the Arts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Menlo or Cornish College of the Arts? 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 Menlo College than Cornish College of the Arts ($32,563 vs. $41,758).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornish College of the Arts are 12.1% lower than at Menlo College ($16,030 vs. $18,236).
• Menlo College is 28.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cornish College of the Arts (about $11,946 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $41,684.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.7% higher at Menlo than at Cornish College of the Arts (about $11,946 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $41,684.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College as at Cornish College of the Arts (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 111.6% larger than aid received by Cornish College of the Arts students ($39,174 vs. $18,515).

Menlo vs. Cornish College of the Arts Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Menlo or Cornish College of the Arts? 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 Cornish College of the Arts and Menlo.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Menlo - Test-free; Cornish College of the Arts - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Menlo Apr 1, 2027.
• Menlo has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than Cornish College of the Arts (62.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.3% at Menlo vs. 19.3% at Cornish College of the Arts.

Menlo vs. Cornish College of the Arts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Menlo and Cornish College of the Arts? 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).

• Cornish College of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (45%) is higher than Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Menlo College earn a median of about $22,200 more per year than Cornish College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,900 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Menlo College graduates have a $5,938 lower median loan debt than Cornish College of the Arts graduates ($21,062 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Menlo graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cornish College of the Arts graduates ($217 vs. $279).
• More Cornish College of the Arts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 55%)

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.