San Francisco, CA · Private · 990 undergraduates · urban
California College of the Arts
Moderately selective
A major Bay Area art-and-design institution now operating under a formal 2026-27 wind-down and transition agreement with Vanderbilt University.
Institutional profile
Established Solid in student experience, and solid in academic standing.- Admission
- 73.4% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 73.3%
3,661 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$49,414 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets California College of the Arts apart
Academic design
Current students continue in established BFA, architecture, design, and graduate programs while the college runs teach-out and degree-completion pathways through its final year.
Campus pattern
The San Francisco Design District campus remains an urban studio environment for continuing students, with exhibitions, shops, critiques, and thesis work continuing through closure.
Defining feature
A major Bay Area art-and-design institution now operating under a formal 2026-27 wind-down and transition agreement with Vanderbilt University.
Can I get in?
73.4% admitted
CCA is not accepting or reviewing applications for future cohorts because it will close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
Recent applicant pool
3,661About 73 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for California College of the Arts, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What California College of the Arts weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Current students continue in established BFA, architecture, design, and graduate programs while the college runs teach-out and degree-completion pathways through its final year.
Make the fit specific
A major Bay Area art-and-design institution now operating under a formal 2026-27 wind-down and transition agreement with Vanderbilt University.
Account for the tradeoff
CCA is not accepting or reviewing applications for future cohorts because it will close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
CCA is not accepting or reviewing applications for future cohorts because it will close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
No application fee recorded
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at California College of the Arts
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
A major Bay Area art-and-design institution now operating under a formal 2026-27 wind-down and transition agreement with Vanderbilt University.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
What is campus life like?
California College of the Arts beyond the classroom
The San Francisco Design District campus remains an urban studio environment for continuing students, with exhibitions, shops, critiques, and thesis work continuing through closure.
A defining academic feature
Current students continue in established BFA, architecture, design, and graduate programs while the college runs teach-out and degree-completion pathways through its final year.
What shapes an ordinary week
The San Francisco Design District campus remains an urban studio environment for continuing students, with exhibitions, shops, critiques, and thesis work continuing through closure.
What changes the experience
A major Bay Area art-and-design institution now operating under a formal 2026-27 wind-down and transition agreement with Vanderbilt University.