Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA · For-profit · Large city · AAU
For-profit institution in San Francisco, CA · 4,131 undergraduates · $39,008 median earnings 10 years after entry.
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $39,7781,901st cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $28,0241,287th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $28,0241,168th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $47,1951,392nd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $31,0001,821st lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $39,0081,647th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $30,4521,731st highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 40.5%1,495th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 67.3%1,365th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 4,131570th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,301st smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 41.8%632nd highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 12 mi (SFO)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 22 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $59,169 | $48,823 |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $43,426 | — |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology | bachelors | $41,937 | — |
| Computer Software and Media ApplicationsComputer Science | bachelors | $39,099 | $48,432 |
| Communication and Media StudiesCommunications | bachelors | $35,600 | $36,132 |
| Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $34,586 | $33,809 |
| Graphic CommunicationsCommunications Technology | bachelors | $34,467 | $32,498 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $33,993 | $26,896 |
| MusicVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $31,305 | — |
| Fine and Studio ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $30,988 | $13,702 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $30,771 | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $30,714 | $27,203 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1929source
- Athletic nickname: "Urban Knights"source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIsource
- School colors: Black and Redsource
- Motto: "Built by artists for artists"source
- Formerly known as "Académie of Advertising Art,"source
- Formerly known as "Academy of Advertising Art,"source
- Formerly known as "Richard Stephens Academy of Art,"source
- Formerly known as "Academy of Art College"source
- Notable alum: Jolene Marie Rotinsulusource
- Notable alum: Raven-Symonésource
- Notable alum: Lee Cheol-hasource
- Notable alum: Lauren Conradsource
- Notable alum: Tatiana Sorokkosource
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Academy of Art University’s 4,131 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In CA
- Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA · 3,629 undergrads
- Unitek CollegeFremont, CA · 4,715 undergrads
- Biola UniversityLa Mirada, CA · 3,390 undergrads
- University of Massachusetts GlobalIrvine, CA · 4,902 undergrads
- University of La VerneLa Verne, CA · 3,341 undergrads
- University of the PacificStockton, CA · 3,247 undergrads
Elsewhere
- University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NE · 4,130 undergrads
- University of Arkansas-Fort SmithFort Smith, AR · 4,133 undergrads
- United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, CO · 4,124 undergrads
- The University of Texas Permian BasinOdessa, TX · 4,122 undergrads
- Grambling State UniversityGrambling, LA · 4,144 undergrads
- Emerson CollegeBoston, MA · 4,145 undergrads
Key links
- Official websiteacademyart.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 108232)
- Compare colleges in CARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in CaliforniaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with Pepperdine UniversitySide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Academy of Art University vs Pepperdine UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.