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Compare colleges

Up to 4 at once. Figures are from the 2022-23 reporting year and are averages, so they will differ from what any one student pays or experiences.

  • Art Center College of Design
  • Vanguard University of Southern California

What stands out

Vanguard University of Southern California has the lower average net price, Art Center College of Design reports the higher graduation rate, Art Center College of Design reports higher median earnings ten years on, while Vanguard University of Southern California leaves graduates with less median federal debt. Which of those matters more depends on what you need, and none of it predicts your own cost or your own chance of admission.

Art Center College of Design compared with Vanguard University of Southern California
MetricArt Center College of DesignPasadena, CAPrivate nonprofit · 4-yearHighest graduation rateHighest retentionHighest median earningsVanguard University of Southern CaliforniaCosta Mesa, CAPrivate nonprofit · 4-yearLowest net priceLowest median debt
Cost
Average net priceWhat students on federal aid actually paid per year, after grants.$48,661$21,241lowest
Published costSticker price before aid. Few students pay it.$75,649$52,665
In-state tuition$54,170$41,700
Out-of-state tuition$54,170$41,700
Admissions
Acceptance rate75%62%
SAT midpointNot reported1,090
ACT midpointNot reported22
Outcomes
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time. Excludes transfer students.81%highest56%
Retention rateFirst-year students who come back for a second year.86%highest70%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only. Private and parent loans are not included.$31,000$22,000lowest
Median earnings, 10 yrsReflects the subjects a college teaches and where it sits, not only its teaching.$71,958highest$59,541
Campus
Undergraduates2,0171,933

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2022-23. Blank figures mean the college did not report that measure, not that the value is zero. Acceptance rate and enrollment carry no highlight because neither a lower acceptance rate nor a larger campus is better in itself. How this works.