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How to Get Into California College of the Arts

San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit · 2025-2026 cycle · Verified data

California College of the Arts Admissions Statistics

91%
Acceptance Rate
990
Undergrads
61%
Graduation Rate

How to Actually Get Into California College of the Arts

The bar here is clear

California College of the Arts admits most qualified applicants. Clear the academic bar (the ranges below) and your odds are strong. The real questions become fit, cost, and whether it earns its slot on your list, not whether you can get in.

Use the Early Action round deliberately

California College of the Arts offers Early Action: non-binding and worth taking if your application is ready, an earlier answer helps you calibrate the rest of your list, and EA carries no downside beyond the earlier deadline.

The bigger picture: no single school decides your outcome, the shape of your whole list does. Read how top counselors build a college list before you finalize where California College of the Arts fits.

California College of the Arts Application Deadlines (2025-2026)

Round Deadline
Early Action (EA) November 15, 2025
Regular Decision (RD) Rolling

Deadlines verified from official sources for the 2025-2026 cycle. Rounds change year to year, always confirm on the school's site before submitting.

Application Requirements & Costs

Application platform Common App
Application fee $70
Test scores Not required (test-optional)
Writing supplement Not required
Counselor recommendation Not required
Teacher evaluations 1

California College of the Arts Cost & Financial Aid

Total cost of attendance (sticker, per year) $79,776
Tuition & fees $60,226
Room & board (on campus) $22,099
Average net price (aid-receiving families) $53,909

What You'd Actually Pay, by Family Income

Average net price per year (after grants and scholarships) for aid-receiving families, from federal College Scorecard data:

Family income Average net price / year
$0-30k $61,407
$30-48k $43,261
$48-75k $45,378
$75-110k $46,060
$110k+ $56,394
25%
Students receiving Pell Grants
48%
Students taking federal loans
87%
Freshman retention rate
8:1
Student-faculty ratio

These are averages, not your number. Get your family's actual price in about 10 minutes:

Use California College of the Arts's Official Net Price Calculator →

More California College of the Arts Data, Coming Soon

We're building the deepest per-school database in admissions. Rolling out for California College of the Arts:

Programs & Majors Soon Every degree program at California College of the Arts, with outcomes
Transfer Pathways Soon How to transfer into California College of the Arts, and where transfers come from
Institutional Aid Soon California College of the Arts's own grants and how they're awarded
Private Scholarships Soon Outside scholarships California College of the Arts students actually win

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