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Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Minneapolis, MN · City · 705 students
WebsiteScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$29,926
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
59%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
63% typical
$40,873
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$39,254 typical
48%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
64% typical · not scored
Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
About

The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) is a premier visual arts institution recognized for its industry-leading programs in graphic design, illustration, animation, and its pioneering BFA in Comic Art. Situated in Minneapolis's vibrant Whittier neighborhood adjacent to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the college fosters an immersive, tight-knit community of makers who benefit from 24/7 studio access and apartment-style campus living. MCAD sets itself apart with a strong emphasis on creative entrepreneurship and professional practice, leveraging deep connections to the Twin Cities' thriving design and corporate sectors to secure extensive internship and exhibition opportunities for its students.


Wikipedia:The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) is a private college specializing in the visual arts and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. MCAD currently enrolls approximately 800 students. MCAD is one of just a few major art schools to offer a major in comic art.

Location
Minneapolis, MN, 55404 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
MSP · Minneapolis
6 mi away
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$45,484
Housing & food (on campus)$13,360
Books & supplies$3,800
Cost of attendance$67,140
Average net price$29,926
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$45,484
Housing & food (on campus)$13,360
Books & supplies$3,800
Cost of attendance$67,140
Average net price$29,926
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: mcad.edu
How it’s made up · 2026-27
Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$48,090
Fees$800
Housing$13,750
Food$3,000
Books & supplies$1,500
Total of the above$67,140
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$23,662
$30–48k
$23,905
$48–75k
$26,550
$75–110k
$33,038
$110k+
$34,345
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
59%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
40%
Back for yr 2
75%
Transferred
21%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
62% graduated · 18% transferred · 20% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$35,198
10 yrs after entry$40,873
Debt
Median at graduation$27,000
Monthly payment$286
Middle 50% owe$8.8k–$27k
90th percentile$35,596
Green marks a figure above the typical Special focus — arts, music & design: $39,254 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
48%
Test policy
Test optional
Per College Scorecard
SAT average
1161
R 600–710 · M 530–630
SAT middle 50%: 1130–1340
40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If Minneapolis College of Art and Design asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 30%Women 70%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
12 : 1
Pell grant
42%
First-gen
21%
Family income
$52,219
Independent
19%
Age at entry
21.0
Part-time
0%
Race & ethnicity
White
64%
Hispanic
12%
Black
6%
Asian
6%
Two or more
7%
Non-resident
2%
AI/AN
1%
Unknown
2%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$35,198
After 10 yrs
$40,873
Design and Applied Arts58
Graphic Communications24
Fine and Studio Arts21
Film/Video and Photographic Arts9
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations6
Woodworking5
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication2
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$58M
Full-time faculty
28%
Faculty salary
$8,513/mo
Teaching spend
$14,118
per student
Federal loans
75%
Classification
Carnegie type
Special focus — arts, music & design
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions

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