California Institute of the Arts Acceptance Rate
Valencia, California · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 2,023
- Admitted
- 525
- Yield
- 33.7%
- Test policy
- Test-blind
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, California Institute of the Arts's acceptance rate has risen from 24.4% in 2014–15 to 26% in 2023–24. Applications fell from 2,162 to 2,023 (-6%) over that period.
Its 26% rate makes California Institute of the Arts more selective than about 93% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 84 tracked California schools, it is more selective than about 82%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (27.2% for women vs 23.6% for men, a 3.6-point gap). California Institute of the Arts has been test-blind (scores not considered) throughout the data window (since at least 2014–15). Of admitted students, 33.7% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 2,162 | 528 | 24.4% | 187 |
| 2015–16 | 2,158 | 538 | 24.9% | 193 |
| 2016–17 | 2,258 | 533 | 23.6% | 206 |
| 2017–18 | 2,265 | 545 | 24.1% | 235 |
| 2018–19 | 2,333 | 536 | 23% | 216 |
| 2019–20 | 2,267 | 573 | 25.3% | 216 |
| 2020–21 | 2,254 | 618 | 27.4% | 153 |
| 2021–22 | 2,364 | 685 | 29% | 203 |
| 2022–23 | 2,120 | 525 | 24.8% | 189 |
| 2023–24 | 2,023 | 525 | 26% | 177 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,209 | 329 | 27.2% |
| Men | 585 | 138 | 23.6% |
| Another gender | 229 | 58 | 25.3% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-blind (not considered).
How California Institute of compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is California Institute of the Arts's acceptance rate?
California Institute of the Arts's acceptance rate is 26% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (525 admitted of 2,023 applicants).
Is California Institute of the Arts test optional?
California Institute of the Arts is test-blind: SAT/ACT scores are not considered in admission.
How many people apply to California Institute of the Arts?
California Institute of the Arts received 2,023 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 525.
Is California Institute of the Arts getting harder to get into?
California Institute of the Arts has become easier to get into: its acceptance rate went from 24.4% in 2014–15 to 26% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: https://www.calarts.edu/.