Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California

Private For-Profit City: Large

Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution in San Francisco, California enrolling 3,587 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.. Graduates earn a median of $39,008 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $40,613. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University operates as a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California (city: large), with a total reported enrollment of 3,587 students of which 5,662 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. Academy of Art University is categorized as “18” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. Admission rate data is not currently reported for this institution. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $40,613, with published in-state tuition of $30,736 and a Pell grant recipient share of 41.0%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $31,000, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 37.9%, and the first-year retention rate is 75.4%. Graduates earn a median of $39,008 ten years after enrolling, compared with $30,452 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 709600.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 52.0% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

3,587
Total enrollment
Acceptance rate
SAT average
37.9%
4-yr graduation rate
$39,008
10-yr median earnings
75.4%
First-year retention

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $30,736
Out-of-State Tuition $30,736
Average Net Price $40,613

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $37,668
$30,001 – $48,000 $36,340
$48,001 – $75,000 $43,874
Over $110,000 $44,082
41.0%
Pell Grant Rate
49.5%
Federal Loan Rate
$31,000
Median Debt
$329/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 28.0%
African American 13.5%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
Asian 7.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Pacific Islander 0.5%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.8%
International 11.5%
57.3%
Female
40.8%
First Generation

Outcomes

37.9%
4-Year Completion Rate
75.4%
Retention Rate
$30,452
Median Earnings (6yr)
$39,008
Median Earnings (10yr)
52.0%
Earning Over $25K
709600.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Computer Software and Media Applications Master's 187 $87,998 $71,352
Computer Software and Media Applications Bachelor's 146 $73,398 $36,750
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians Master's 139 $71,613 $84,794
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 71 $66,783 $40,171
Graphic Communications Master's 91 $64,026 $83,224
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations Master's 18 $62,856
Computer Software and Media Applications Associate's 18 $60,731 $31,211
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations Bachelor's 14 $60,284
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Master's 54 $58,879 $113,213
Design and Applied Arts Master's 78 $57,636 $93,267
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication Bachelor's 20 $54,087 $23,473
Architecture Bachelor's 0 $53,810
Visual and Performing Arts, General Master's 41 $51,874
Graphic Communications Bachelor's 95 $50,833 $31,125
Fine and Studio Arts Master's 58 $46,730 $91,156
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's 72 $46,726 $33,812
Music Master's 12 $44,942
Visual and Performing Arts, General Bachelor's 42 $43,084 $31,000
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Associate's 7 $42,221 $32,187
Apparel and Textiles Bachelor's 45 $41,565 $25,500
Design and Applied Arts Associate's 7 $40,595 $31,937
Journalism Master's 1 $39,016
Design and Applied Arts Bachelor's 77 $38,583 $31,500
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Master's 21 $36,635 $104,875
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 1 $36,132
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's 27 $35,870 $30,666
Music Bachelor's 15 $33,151 $29,910
Apparel and Textiles Associate's 5 $29,584 $18,828
Graphic Communications Associate's 6 $28,019
Fine and Studio Arts Bachelor's 32 $13,702 $39,570

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Academy of Art University?
Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution in San Francisco, California. Total enrollment is 3,587 students.
How much do Academy of Art University graduates earn?
Graduates of Academy of Art University earn a median of $39,008 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $30,452.
How much does Academy of Art University cost?
The average net price at Academy of Art University is $40,613. In-state tuition is $30,736 and out-of-state tuition is $30,736. Median student debt at graduation is $31,000.
What is the graduation rate at Academy of Art University?
Academy of Art University has a 4-year completion rate of 37.9%. The first-year retention rate is 75.4%.
Is Academy of Art University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Academy of Art University is $31,000, while graduates earn a median of $39,008 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 79% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 709600.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $329.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.