Admit rate has ranged 72%–94% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) is a scrappy, industry-focused art school where students dive headfirst into Columbus' thriving creative scene. With Illustration, Animation, and Fashion Design programs that punch above their weight, CCAD offers an intimate, studio-heavy education—though its middling graduation rates and early-career earnings suggest students must hustle to maximize their degree.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
Grade point average
Demonstrated competencies
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Letters of recommendation
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
882
In-state tuition
$40,825
Out-of-state tuition
$40,825
Acceptance Rate
68%
4-Year Grad Rate
55%
6-Year Grad Rate
68%
Merit Aid Average
$14,394
Early-Career Earnings
$30,000
Student-Faculty Ratio
Not reported in sources
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$40,664
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.4×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
56%
First-year retention
80%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
59%
Pell (lower-income) share
54%
First-generation share
25%
Endowment / student
$29,266
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Fine and Studio Arts$26,353
Design and Applied Arts$25,936
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$25,525
Graphic Communications$20,140
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
87
Summer high
83°F
Winter low
26°F
Annual rain
45.9"
Annual snow
19.3"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
8
Scholarly works
70
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.6%
Bottom → top quintile
26%
From bottom quintile
6%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Columbus College of Art & Design?
Columbus College of Art & Design's acceptance rate is approximately 68% (Columbus, OH), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Columbus College of Art & Design cost?
At Columbus College of Art & Design, the average net price (after aid) is about $29,439 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Columbus College of Art & Design?
Columbus College of Art & Design enrolls approximately 882 undergraduate students.
Where is Columbus College of Art & Design located?
Columbus College of Art & Design is located in Columbus, OH.
Admissions
CCAD's admissions process leans moderately selective, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. fluctuating between 68% (per U.S. News) and 91.7% (per College Board)—likely reflecting differences in reporting thresholds for portfolio submissions. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 920-1170 on the SAT or 18-24 on the ACT, with 19% of enrollees holding GPAs of 3.75+. Notably, 100% of incoming students receive some form of financial aid, making it accessible despite its $54,595 sticker price.
CCAD's 11 BFA programs—including standout offerings in Illustration, Animation, and Fashion Design—are delivered in small studio classes where faculty provide hands-on mentorship. The curriculum emphasizes professional readiness, with graduate programs like the MPS in Retail Design and User Experience Design catering to industry niches. Students praise the 'personalized' attention but should note the 3.4 GPA requirement for upper-level studio work.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Embedded in downtown Columbus, CCAD students tap into the city's arts districts (Franklinton, Scioto Mile) and surreal spaces like Otherworld. The tight-knit campus fosters collaboration, with Instagram showcases highlighting student work. Housing and wellness services are standard, but the real draw is the school's symbiotic relationship with Columbus' creative economy—evident in organized excursions to local galleries and design firms.
CCAD's 61% graduation rate lags behind national averages, though it climbs to 68% when extended to six years. Early-career earnings hover around $30,000—$5,000 below expectations for art schools—suggesting graduates may need time to establish themselves. The upside? Columbus' low cost of living lets alumni build portfolios without crushing debt burdens.
At $54,595 annually, CCAD's tuition rivals elite art schools—but 100% of students receive aid, bringing the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. down to $30,900. Merit scholarships (averaging $14,394) help offset costs, though the school's own data shows many students still graduate with debt. The Net Price Calculator is essential here: outcomes vary wildly based on portfolio strength and financial need.
CCAD thrives as a pragmatic alternative to coastal art schools, leveraging its Columbus location to connect students with Midwestern clients and affordable studios. Its Fashion Design program feeds into nearby retail giants like Abercrombie & Fitch, while Animation grays benefit from the city's growing tech scene. The trade-off? You'll need grit to overcome the school's academic attrition rates—but those who persist join a scrappy creative network.
Columbus College of Art & Design logo · sourceExplore Columbus, Ohio | Art, Student Life, and Creative Careers - CCAD · sourceCampus Map - CCAD · sourceColumbus College of Art and Design - AICAD · source
