Graduates of California College of the Arts earn median 4-year earnings of $53,517, placing California College of the Arts in the 13.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,357 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 35.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California College of the Arts #867 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Design and Applied Arts reports 99 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $59,238. Fine and Studio Arts reports 61 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $44,012. Graphic Communications reports 60 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $31,068. Human Computer Interaction reports 22 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $149,149.
Graduates of California College of the Arts earn median 4-year earnings of $53,517, placing California College of the Arts in the 13.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,357 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 35.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California College of the Arts #867 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Design and Applied Arts reports 99 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $59,238. Fine and Studio Arts reports 61 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $44,012. Graphic Communications reports 60 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $31,068. Human Computer Interaction reports 22 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $149,149.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Moderate debt load. Repaying $27,000 requires planning but is achievable.
Graduates of California College of the Arts earn median 4-year earnings of $53,517, placing California College of the Arts in the 13.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,357 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 35.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California College of the Arts #867 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Design and Applied Arts reports 99 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $59,238. Fine and Studio Arts reports 61 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $44,012. Graphic Communications reports 60 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $31,068. Human Computer Interaction reports 22 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $149,149.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
California College of the Arts's program portfolio centers on visual and performing arts, reflecting its identity as a specialized creative institution in San Francisco. The largest programs by enrollment are Design and Applied Arts with 99 graduates, followed by Fine and Studio Arts with 61 graduates, Graphic Communications with 60 graduates, Film/Video and Photographic Arts with 41 graduates, and Computer Software with 38 graduates. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 338 students annually, the institution's earnings profile reflects outcomes concentrated in creative and design-adjacent fields. The highest-earning programs at California College of the Arts demonstrate strong early-career outcomes for graduates entering creative industries and adjacent professional fields. Human Computer Interaction leads with median earnings of $149,149 four years after enrollment across 22 graduates, followed by Design and Applied Arts with median earnings of $59,238 for 99 graduates and Fine and Studio Arts with median earnings of $44,012 for 61 graduates. Graphic Communications rounds out the top quartile with median earnings of $31,068. These outcomes reflect the institution's positioning within San Francisco's creative economy, where design, media production, and arts-related professional services command meaningful early-career compensation. California College of the Arts's program mix is anchored in Visual & Performing Arts, with Arts representing 59% of graduates. This concentration shapes both the institution's labor-market alignment and the earnings trajectory of its cohort. Graduates from California College of the Arts tend to enter high-mobility creative and design careers where four-year earnings reflect direct entry into the workforce rather than graduate-school-dependent pathways. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how creative and design fields align with regional labor-market demand in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Graduates of California College of the Arts earn median 4-year earnings of $53,517, placing California College of the Arts in the 13.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,357 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 35.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks California College of the Arts #867 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Design and Applied Arts reports 99 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $59,238. Fine and Studio Arts reports 61 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $44,012. Graphic Communications reports 60 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $31,068. Human Computer Interaction reports 22 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $149,149.
