California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
32%Acceptance rate
$46,080Average net price / year
67%Graduation rate
$41,198Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$25,000Median debt at graduation
860Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $58,996
- Total cost of attendance
- $77,560
- Room & board
- $14,134
- Books & supplies
- $1,062
- Average net price
- $46,080
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $26,686
- $30–48k
- $40,899
- $48–75k
- $51,847
- $75–110k
- $38,627
- $110k+
- $58,873
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 32.3%
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 67%
- First-year retention
- 82%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $28,018
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $41,198
- Median debt (graduates)
- $25,000
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 24%
- Students with federal loans
- 36%
Programs: what graduates earn
10 of 24 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 28 | $28,247 | $27,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 36 | $22,673 | $27,000 |
| Music | 43 | $18,896 | $19,500 |
| Dance | 13 | $45,119 | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 19 | $28,617 | $27,000 |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 19 | $35,156 | $109,180 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 38 | $20,842 | $96,000 |
| Music | 40 | $17,850 | $44,150 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 20 | $13,661 | $61,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 25 | $29,527 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 860
- Graduate students
- 412
- Part-time
- 1%
- Women / men
- 60% / 40%
- White
- 32%
- Hispanic
- 17%
- Black
- 5%
- Asian
- 9%
- International
- 26%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 7:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $90,855 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 45%
- Accreditor
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
- Website
- www.calarts.edu
- Also known as
- CalArts
Most popular fields
- Communications Technologies – 24% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 3% of degrees
- Visual & Performing Arts – 73% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at California Institute of the Arts?
32.3% of applicants were admitted.
How much does California Institute of the Arts cost?
The average net price after grants is $46,080 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $58,996 and the full cost of attendance is $77,560.
How much do California Institute of the Arts graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $41,198 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.