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Compare Art Center College of Design vs Occidental College

Pasadena, CA · Los Angeles, CA

Art Center College of DesignOccidental College
Cost
Price after aid (average)$48,661/yr$38,263/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$39,645/yr$20,705/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$31,000$23,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$42,161/yr$17,655/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$44,738/yr$21,468/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$45,677/yr$28,033/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$61,144/yr$54,959/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$329/mo$244/mo
Room & board (on campus)No data reported$19,252/yr
Room & board (off campus)$19,632/yrNo data reported
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$4,000/yr$1,250/yr
Other living costs (on campus)No data reported$1,880/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$75,649/yr$84,800/yr
Tuition (in-state)$54,170/yr$66,274/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$54,170/yr$66,274/yr
Students with Pell Grants22%17%
Students taking federal loans33%37%
Getting in
Students who get accepted75%44%
SAT range (middle 50%)No data reported1380–1520
SAT averageNo data reported1452
ACT range (middle 50%)No data reported31–34
ACT sections (middle 50%)No data reportedEnglish 33–35 · Math 28–33
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received1,3396,573
Students accepted1,0042,622
Students who enrolled322532
Accepted students who enroll32%20%
Enrolled who sent SAT scoresNo data reported23%
Enrolled who sent ACT scoresNo data reported13%
High-school GPAOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredRequired
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Required
Class rankNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
College-prep programOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate79%81%
Freshmen who come back86%90%
Typical earnings 10 years in$71,958/yr$75,951/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$28,421–$125,307$53,141–$105,789
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)78%82%
White students graduating64%81%
Black students graduating50%82%
Hispanic students graduating63%79%
Asian students graduating85%81%
Typical earnings 6 years in$53,562/yr$52,209/yr
Earn more than a HS grad69%77%
Graduate on time35%68%
Pell students who graduate74%86%
First-gen students who finish62%82%
Low-income students who finish67%No data reported
Students who transfer outNo data reported11%
Typical earnings 8 years in$58,753/yr$64,002/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsVisual & Performing Arts 50% · Communications Technologies 23% · Engineering Technologies 19%Social Sciences 29% · Visual & Performing Arts 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 11%
Most popular programVisual & Performing Arts — 50% of degreesSocial Sciences — 29% of degrees
2nd most popular programCommunications Technologies — 23% of degreesVisual & Performing Arts — 13% of degrees
3rd most popular programEngineering Technologies — 19% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees
4th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 5% of degreesPsychology — 9% of degrees
5th most popular programArchitecture — 3% of degreesMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 8% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Graphic Communications — $67,010/yrEconomics — $64,885/yr
Degrees in STEM25%23%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment2,0171,877
Students per professor9 : 19 : 1
Graduate students270No data reported
Average professor pay$9,383/mo$12,349/mo
Full-time professors19%75%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
Median family income$30,283$76,004
SettingCity (midsize)City (large)
LocationPasadena, CALos Angeles, CA
RegionFar WestFar West
Founded19301887
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Private (nonprofit)
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationMaster's Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsBaccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students44%5%
Men40%41%
Women60%59%
White students10%46%
Black students1.2%4.4%
Hispanic or Latino students9.3%18%
Asian students30%16%
Two or more races4.7%9.8%
Other / not reported0.7%1.5%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students24%18%
Part-time students11%1.1%
Students age 25+16%0.5%
Spent on teaching per student$26,617/yr$24,676/yr
Endowment$152.7M$654.3M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingNo — no campus housingYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housingNo data reported1,650
Required to live on campusNo data reportedYes — for first-year students
Room charge (campus housing)No data reported$10,338/yr
Meal plan chargeNo data reported$8,794/yr
Meal plan offeredNoYes
Meals per weekNo data reportedVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchNoYes
ROTCNoNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditYesYes
Credit for life experienceYesNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineNoNo
Weekend & evening classesNoNo
Teacher certificationNoNo
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesNoYes
On-campus day careNoYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingNoNo
Student veteran organizationNoNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoYes
Athletics
Athletics data fromNo data reported2024-25
College sports levelNo intercollegiate athletics reportedNCAA Division III without football
Football teamNo data reportedNo
Varsity teamsNo data reported18
Student athletesNo data reported374
Athletic scholarshipsNo data reported$0
Athletics budgetNo data reported$4.5M
Athletics revenueNo data reported$5.0M
Recruiting spendNo data reported$69,049

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.