More selective than 13% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $57,989. College Scorecard.
Higher than 31% of California colleges we cover and 45% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 18% of California colleges we cover and 34% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
LCAD acceptance rate & admissions
Of 268 applicants, Laguna College of Art and Design admitted 208 and 135 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
LCAD tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
LCAD majors, earnings & careers
Laguna College of Art and Design offers 4 bachelor's majors across 3 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Arts & Design · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Humanities & Languages · 1
Highest-earning majors at LCAD
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $68,934 | $27,000 |
| Graphic Communications | $38,850 | $27,000 |
| Studio Art | $27,815 | $27,625 |
Quick list of all 4 majors
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$68,934
- Graphic Communications$38,850
- Studio Art$27,815
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design → Graphic designer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 1.7% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Los Angeles
Overall prices in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $3,057. Housing costs 70% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 13 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: wildfire (relatively high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Orange County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Orange County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare LCAD with similar schools
Similar private colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna College of Art and Design | 94% | $42,505 | 52% | $47,867 | This school |
| William Jessup University | 93% | $28,062 | 56% | $56,257 | |
| La Sierra University | 92% | $45,566 | 60% | $61,824 | |
| Simpson University | 86% | $27,817 | 49% | $54,340 | |
| Life Pacific University | 96% | $20,898 | 40% | $43,299 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Laguna College of Art and Design would cost you $14,443 more per year than William Jessup University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Laguna College of Art and Design, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$4,822).
- William Jessup University gives aided families $10,157 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | LCAD | William Jessup University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $37,500 | $37,150 | +$350 |
| Books & supplies | $2,324 | $938 | +$1,386 |
| Housing & meals | $18,071 | $13,249 | +$4,822 |
| Personal & travel | $3,528 | $3,978 | −$450 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,434 | −$1,612 | −$1,822 |
| Sticker price | $57,989 | $53,703 | +$4,286 |
| Average grants | −$15,484 | −$25,641 | +$10,157 |
| You pay | $42,505 | $28,062 | +$14,443 |
“+” means LCAD costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about LCAD
What is the LCAD acceptance rate?
Laguna College of Art and Design accepts 94% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 208 of 268 applicants were admitted.
How much does Laguna College of Art and Design cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $57,989 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $42,505 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $37,203 and families earning $110k+ pay $46,889.
How much do LCAD graduates earn?
Former Laguna College of Art and Design students earn a median $47,867 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the LCAD graduation rate?
52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% return for their second year.
Is LCAD the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing LCAD with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Laguna College of Art and Design: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/laguna-college-of-art-and-design (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).