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School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach National
Population 7,500,000
United States map with state borders, rivers, lakes, and Alaska and Hawaii insets
Chicago, IL

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%)
Sunshine Hours 2,508 (33%)
Days Without Precipitation 241 (38%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 2,703
Men / Women 23% / 77%
From State 17%
From Region 8%

Racial/Ethnic

White 34%
International 28%
Hispanic 13%
Asian 10%
Black 6%
Mixed 5%
Native American 0%

Men in the Entering Class

0% 8% 16% 24% 32% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Men: 29.6% 29.6% 2012 Men: 26.4% 26.4% 2013 Men: 29.6% 29.6% 2014 Men: 24.0% 24.0% 2015 Men: 25.5% 25.5% 2016 Men: 21.5% 21.5% 2017 Men: 20.8% 20.8% 2018 Men: 24.9% 24.9% 2019 Men: 23.4% 23.4% 2020 Men: 23.2% 23.2% 2021 Men: 25.8% 25.8% 2022 Men: 20.9% 20.9% 2023 Men: 21.1% 21.1% 2024 Men: 24.3% 24.3% 2025 Men: 22.3% 22.3%

Men as a share of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2012 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2013 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2014 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2015 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2016 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2018 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2020 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2023 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2024 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2025 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2011 Asian: 12.5% 12.5% 2012 Asian: 12.3% 12.3% 2013 Asian: 15.1% 15.1% 2014 Asian: 12.1% 12.1% 2015 Asian: 11.3% 11.3% 2016 Asian: 8.8% 8.8% 2017 Asian: 10.3% 10.3% 2018 Asian: 11.4% 11.4% 2019 Asian: 8.2% 8.2% 2020 Asian: 8.3% 8.3% 2021 Asian: 10.5% 10.5% 2022 Asian: 11.4% 11.4% 2023 Asian: 9.8% 9.8% 2024 Asian: 11.8% 11.8% 2025 Asian: 9.1% 9.1% 2011 Black: 3.6% 3.6% 2012 Black: 3.2% 3.2% 2013 Black: 3.1% 3.1% 2014 Black: 2.2% 2.2% 2015 Black: 3.5% 3.5% 2016 Black: 4.4% 4.4% 2017 Black: 5.1% 5.1% 2018 Black: 3.8% 3.8% 2019 Black: 2.9% 2.9% 2020 Black: 3.1% 3.1% 2021 Black: 5.9% 5.9% 2022 Black: 5.1% 5.1% 2023 Black: 6.5% 6.5% 2024 Black: 5.6% 5.6% 2025 Black: 6.7% 6.7% 2011 Hispanic: 3.1% 3.1% 2012 Hispanic: 6.1% 6.1% 2013 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2014 Hispanic: 10.4% 10.4% 2015 Hispanic: 10.5% 10.5% 2016 Hispanic: 13.1% 13.1% 2017 Hispanic: 11.5% 11.5% 2018 Hispanic: 8.6% 8.6% 2019 Hispanic: 11.8% 11.8% 2020 Hispanic: 11.7% 11.7% 2021 Hispanic: 12.1% 12.1% 2022 Hispanic: 10.6% 10.6% 2023 Hispanic: 14.8% 14.8% 2024 Hispanic: 10.7% 10.7% 2025 Hispanic: 16.8% 16.8% 2011 White: 49.2% 49.2% 2012 White: 44.4% 44.4% 2013 White: 34.8% 34.8% 2014 White: 34.7% 34.7% 2015 White: 33.0% 33.0% 2016 White: 37.4% 37.4% 2017 White: 37.2% 37.2% 2018 White: 36.3% 36.3% 2019 White: 38.0% 38.0% 2020 White: 37.4% 37.4% 2021 White: 39.5% 39.5% 2022 White: 36.9% 36.9% 2023 White: 31.8% 31.8% 2024 White: 34.6% 34.6% 2025 White: 36.7% 36.7% 2011 International: 24.5% 24.5% 2012 International: 27.8% 27.8% 2013 International: 31.3% 31.3% 2014 International: 33.7% 33.7% 2015 International: 30.0% 30.0% 2016 International: 27.6% 27.6% 2017 International: 27.7% 27.7% 2018 International: 33.3% 33.3% 2019 International: 31.3% 31.3% 2020 International: 31.4% 31.4% 2021 International: 24.6% 24.6% 2022 International: 26.9% 26.9% 2023 International: 28.9% 28.9% 2024 International: 27.0% 27.0% 2025 International: 23.8% 23.8%

Share of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. Two or more races and race unknown are omitted, so the lines do not sum to 100%. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

Enrolled Undergraduates

0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Total: 2,321 2,321 2012 Total: 2,383 2,383 2013 Total: 2,469 2,469 2014 Total: 2,602 2,602 2015 Total: 2,623 2,623 2016 Total: 2,681 2,681 2017 Total: 2,735 2,735 2018 Total: 2,746 2,746 2019 Total: 2,804 2,804 2020 Total: 2,911 2,911 2021 Total: 2,362 2,362 2022 Total: 2,704 2,704 2023 Total: 2,733 2,733 2024 Total: 2,655 2,655 2025 Total: 2,703 2,703 2011 Men: 739 739 2012 Men: 716 716 2013 Men: 728 728 2014 Men: 738 738 2015 Men: 726 726 2016 Men: 721 721 2017 Men: 681 681 2018 Men: 681 681 2019 Men: 705 705 2020 Men: 739 739 2021 Men: 610 610 2022 Men: 686 686 2023 Men: 665 665 2024 Men: 647 647 2025 Men: 620 620 2011 Women: 1,582 1,582 2012 Women: 1,667 1,667 2013 Women: 1,741 1,741 2014 Women: 1,864 1,864 2015 Women: 1,897 1,897 2016 Women: 1,960 1,960 2017 Women: 2,054 2,054 2018 Women: 2,065 2,065 2019 Women: 2,099 2,099 2020 Women: 2,172 2,172 2021 Women: 1,752 1,752 2022 Women: 2,018 2,018 2023 Women: 2,068 2,068 2024 Women: 2,008 2,008 2025 Women: 2,083 2,083

Full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates across all years of study. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2012 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2013 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2014 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2015 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2016 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2017 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2020 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2021 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2022 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2023 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2024 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2025 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2011 Asian: 12.3% 12.3% 2012 Asian: 12.3% 12.3% 2013 Asian: 12.6% 12.6% 2014 Asian: 12.7% 12.7% 2015 Asian: 11.9% 11.9% 2016 Asian: 11.0% 11.0% 2017 Asian: 9.5% 9.5% 2018 Asian: 9.7% 9.7% 2019 Asian: 9.0% 9.0% 2020 Asian: 9.2% 9.2% 2021 Asian: 9.5% 9.5% 2022 Asian: 10.4% 10.4% 2023 Asian: 10.0% 10.0% 2024 Asian: 11.0% 11.0% 2025 Asian: 10.3% 10.3% 2011 Black: 3.7% 3.7% 2012 Black: 3.3% 3.3% 2013 Black: 2.8% 2.8% 2014 Black: 2.8% 2.8% 2015 Black: 3.3% 3.3% 2016 Black: 3.3% 3.3% 2017 Black: 3.4% 3.4% 2018 Black: 3.6% 3.6% 2019 Black: 3.7% 3.7% 2020 Black: 3.8% 3.8% 2021 Black: 4.8% 4.8% 2022 Black: 4.4% 4.4% 2023 Black: 4.4% 4.4% 2024 Black: 5.1% 5.1% 2025 Black: 5.9% 5.9% 2011 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2012 Hispanic: 5.8% 5.8% 2013 Hispanic: 6.1% 6.1% 2014 Hispanic: 7.2% 7.2% 2015 Hispanic: 9.3% 9.3% 2016 Hispanic: 10.4% 10.4% 2017 Hispanic: 11.1% 11.1% 2018 Hispanic: 10.5% 10.5% 2019 Hispanic: 10.1% 10.1% 2020 Hispanic: 10.0% 10.0% 2021 Hispanic: 10.1% 10.1% 2022 Hispanic: 10.2% 10.2% 2023 Hispanic: 11.3% 11.3% 2024 Hispanic: 11.5% 11.5% 2025 Hispanic: 13.4% 13.4% 2011 White: 53.9% 53.9% 2012 White: 50.5% 50.5% 2013 White: 45.0% 45.0% 2014 White: 39.7% 39.7% 2015 White: 35.2% 35.2% 2016 White: 33.9% 33.9% 2017 White: 34.4% 34.4% 2018 White: 33.9% 33.9% 2019 White: 34.2% 34.2% 2020 White: 34.3% 34.3% 2021 White: 35.4% 35.4% 2022 White: 35.9% 35.9% 2023 White: 34.4% 34.4% 2024 White: 33.4% 33.4% 2025 White: 34.0% 34.0% 2011 International: 19.9% 19.9% 2012 International: 22.7% 22.7% 2013 International: 27.5% 27.5% 2014 International: 31.5% 31.5% 2015 International: 32.9% 32.9% 2016 International: 33.5% 33.5% 2017 International: 33.5% 33.5% 2018 International: 34.3% 34.3% 2019 International: 33.9% 33.9% 2020 International: 33.5% 33.5% 2021 International: 32.1% 32.1% 2022 International: 30.5% 30.5% 2023 International: 31.4% 31.4% 2024 International: 30.7% 30.7% 2025 International: 28.2% 28.2%

Share of full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates across all years of study. Two or more races and race unknown are omitted, so the lines do not sum to 100%. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

IPEDS Fall Enrollment (2011–2019) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025). The dashed line at 2020 marks the change in reporting period. Missing reports leave gaps.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 639 22% 32% 12% 3% 10% 33% $45,852 0 -0.12 4 88%
Creative Writing 11 — 0% 55% 0% 0% 27% 18% $49,817 41 -0.32 7 — — — — —
Art History, Theory and Criticism — — — — — — — — $45,773 32 -0.47 4 88% — — — —
Art and Technology Studies 3 — 33% 0% 0% 33% 33% 33% $47,796 24 -0.53 5 — — — — —
Studio Art 625 — 22% 32% 12% 3% 9% 34% $45,773 46 -0.11 4 88% — — — —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $59,590
ROI Percentile 4th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 84%
4-Year Graduation Rate 37%
6-Year Graduation Rate 67%
Transfer-Out Rate 23%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 60.5% 60.5% 2012 Graduated: 54.2% 54.2% 2013 Graduated: 54.0% 54.0% 2014 Graduated: 57.1% 57.1% 2015 Graduated: 62.5% 62.5% 2016 Graduated: 65.7% 65.7% 2017 Graduated: 65.6% 65.6% 2018 Graduated: 64.9% 64.9% 2019 Graduated: 69.9% 69.9% 2020 Graduated: 67.8% 67.8% 2021 Graduated: 65.0% 65.0% 2022 Graduated: 66.8% 66.8% 2023 Graduated: 64.0% 64.0% 2024 Graduated: 67.0% 67.0%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 62.1% 2012 Men: 50.7% 2013 Men: 52.9% 2014 Men: 56.7% 2015 Men: 53.9% 2016 Men: 65.7% 2017 Men: 61.0% 2018 Men: 60.1% 2019 Men: 66.9% 2020 Men: 61.5% 2021 Men: 59.0% 2022 Men: 59.1% 2023 Men: 60.8% 2024 Men: 66.0% 2011 Women: 59.7% 2012 Women: 55.7% 2013 Women: 54.6% 2014 Women: 57.3% 2015 Women: 65.5% 2016 Women: 65.7% 2017 Women: 67.4% 2018 Women: 66.4% 2019 Women: 71.1% 2020 Women: 69.7% 2021 Women: 67.0% 2022 Women: 68.8% 2023 Women: 64.8% 2024 Women: 67.3%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Asian: 68.3% 2012 Asian: 59.3% 2013 Asian: 53.4% 2014 Asian: 63.1% 2015 Asian: 72.9% 2016 Asian: 75.0% 2017 Asian: 79.7% 2018 Asian: 68.1% 2019 Asian: 67.4% 2020 Asian: 75.3% 2021 Asian: 74.6% 2022 Asian: 56.1% 2023 Asian: 66.2% 2024 Asian: 72.6% 2011 Black: 41.7% 2012 Black: 29.4% 2013 Black: 41.2% 2014 Black: 35.3% 2015 Black: 40.0% 2016 Black: 57.1% 2017 Black: 40.0% 2018 Black: 38.9% 2019 Black: 66.7% 2020 Black: 41.7% 2021 Black: 50.0% 2022 Black: 67.9% 2023 Black: 35.5% 2024 Black: 50.0% 2011 Hispanic: 46.4% 2012 Hispanic: 52.0% 2013 Hispanic: 37.5% 2014 Hispanic: 47.2% 2015 Hispanic: 46.3% 2016 Hispanic: 52.8% 2017 Hispanic: 76.5% 2018 Hispanic: 44.1% 2019 Hispanic: 50.0% 2020 Hispanic: 54.8% 2021 Hispanic: 61.7% 2022 Hispanic: 64.2% 2023 Hispanic: 44.6% 2024 Hispanic: 57.4% 2011 White: 56.3% 2012 White: 50.0% 2013 White: 53.4% 2014 White: 55.0% 2015 White: 61.6% 2016 White: 62.9% 2017 White: 62.4% 2018 White: 65.3% 2019 White: 67.7% 2020 White: 61.7% 2021 White: 54.5% 2022 White: 63.7% 2023 White: 62.7% 2024 White: 65.4% 2011 International: 71.4% 2012 International: 69.1% 2013 International: 72.7% 2014 International: 67.9% 2015 International: 83.1% 2016 International: 78.3% 2017 International: 77.3% 2018 International: 77.8% 2019 International: 83.2% 2020 International: 77.6% 2021 International: 79.8% 2022 International: 77.0% 2023 International: 80.1% 2024 International: 73.0%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Arts 98.3% 628 22% 32% 12% 4% 10% 34% $45,783 23 -0.11 4 88% —
Humanities 1.7% 11 0% 55% 0% 0% 27% 18% $49,817 20 -0.32 7 — —

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 76%
Yield (non-ED) 12%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 76% 76% 76%

This college’s Common Data Set does not break down admissions by applicant demographics, so in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants share one Regular Decision rate.

Acceptance & Yield

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 76.6% 76.6% 2012 Acceptance: 78.3% 78.3% 2013 Acceptance: 71.8% 71.8% 2014 Acceptance: 69.1% 69.1% 2015 Acceptance: 66.5% 66.5% 2016 Acceptance: 59.3% 59.3% 2017 Acceptance: 69.8% 69.8% 2018 Acceptance: 58.6% 58.6% 2019 Acceptance: 57.0% 57.0% 2020 Acceptance: 77.8% 77.8% 2021 Acceptance: 81.0% 81.0% 2022 Acceptance: 79.0% 79.0% 2023 Acceptance: 76.4% 76.4% 2024 Acceptance: 77.5% 77.5% 2011 Yield: 22.1% 22.1% 2012 Yield: 24.1% 24.1% 2013 Yield: 21.2% 21.2% 2014 Yield: 23.3% 23.3% 2015 Yield: 20.5% 20.5% 2016 Yield: 20.4% 20.4% 2017 Yield: 16.4% 16.4% 2018 Yield: 18.0% 18.0% 2019 Yield: 16.9% 16.9% 2020 Yield: 8.9% 8.9% 2021 Yield: 14.2% 14.2% 2022 Yield: 13.6% 13.6% 2023 Yield: 13.3% 13.3% 2024 Yield: 11.8% 11.8%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 2,694 2,694 2012 Applicants: 3,004 3,004 2013 Applicants: 3,782 3,782 2014 Applicants: 3,737 3,737 2015 Applicants: 4,210 4,210 2016 Applicants: 5,244 5,244 2017 Applicants: 5,686 5,686 2018 Applicants: 5,993 5,993 2019 Applicants: 6,410 6,410 2020 Applicants: 6,530 6,530 2021 Applicants: 5,835 5,835 2022 Applicants: 6,075 6,075 2023 Applicants: 6,633 6,633 2024 Applicants: 6,626 6,626 2011 Admitted: 2,063 2,063 2012 Admitted: 2,352 2,352 2013 Admitted: 2,717 2,717 2014 Admitted: 2,584 2,584 2015 Admitted: 2,799 2,799 2016 Admitted: 3,111 3,111 2017 Admitted: 3,970 3,970 2018 Admitted: 3,509 3,509 2019 Admitted: 3,656 3,656 2020 Admitted: 5,079 5,079 2021 Admitted: 4,725 4,725 2022 Admitted: 4,797 4,797 2023 Admitted: 5,069 5,069 2024 Admitted: 5,133 5,133 2011 Enrolled: 455 455 2012 Enrolled: 567 567 2013 Enrolled: 577 577 2014 Enrolled: 603 603 2015 Enrolled: 574 574 2016 Enrolled: 634 634 2017 Enrolled: 651 651 2018 Enrolled: 631 631 2019 Enrolled: 619 619 2020 Enrolled: 454 454 2021 Enrolled: 669 669 2022 Enrolled: 651 651 2023 Enrolled: 676 676 2024 Enrolled: 604 604

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional

SAT Composite

1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2012 25th: 1010 1010 2015 25th: 1030 1030 2016 25th: 1020 1020 2017 25th: 1110 1110 2018 25th: 1120 1120 2019 25th: 1120 1120 2020 25th: 1040 1040 2012 75th: 1250 1250 2015 75th: 1300 1300 2016 75th: 1240 1240 2017 75th: 1340 1340 2018 75th: 1340 1340 2019 75th: 1360 1360 2020 75th: 1260 1260

SAT Math

400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 510 510 2012 25th: 500 500 2013 25th: 450 450 2015 25th: 510 510 2016 25th: 490 490 2017 25th: 530 530 2018 25th: 540 540 2019 25th: 540 540 2020 25th: 480 480 2011 75th: 630 630 2012 75th: 620 620 2013 75th: 670 670 2015 75th: 670 670 2016 75th: 600 600 2017 75th: 670 670 2018 75th: 680 680 2019 75th: 690 690 2020 75th: 600 600

SAT Reading & Writing

500 550 600 650 700 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2012 25th: 510 510 2014 25th: 520 520 2015 25th: 520 520 2016 25th: 530 530 2017 25th: 580 580 2018 25th: 580 580 2019 25th: 580 580 2020 25th: 560 560 2012 75th: 630 630 2014 75th: 630 630 2015 75th: 630 630 2016 75th: 640 640 2017 75th: 670 670 2018 75th: 660 660 2019 75th: 670 670 2020 75th: 660 660

Submitting a Test Score

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 98.0% 98.0% 2012 Submitted: 91.0% 91.0% 2013 Submitted: 73.0% 73.0% 2014 Submitted: 83.0% 83.0% 2015 Submitted: 92.0% 92.0% 2016 Submitted: 79.0% 79.0% 2017 Submitted: 91.0% 91.0% 2018 Submitted: 94.0% 94.0% 2019 Submitted: 93.0% 93.0% 2020 Submitted: 70.0% 70.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.