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Cleveland Institute of Art

#852 in US ranking Cleveland, OH
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$67,135
Tuition & fees
$49,850
Avg. aid
$31,295
Receiving aid
100%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
61%
SAT range
980–1280
ACT range
23–29

Outcomes

Graduation rate
58%
Median salary
$31,340
1 yr after graduation

What does Cleveland Institute of Art offer in terms of athletics?

Cleveland Institute of Art is not primarily an intercollegiate athletics college, and its institutional listings do not establish an NCAA varsity program or athletic conference membership. Students should not interpret a general list of sports associated with student activity as a roster of CIA varsity teams.

Recreational play and fitness opportunities may be available through student-organized activities or facilities in the surrounding area, but access and eligibility can differ. An applicant hoping to compete in a specific sport should verify the current opportunity, its organizer, and any participation rules directly rather than assume CIA recruits athletes or offers athletic scholarships.

What student groups and Associations are available at Cleveland Institute of Art?

Cleveland Institute of Art offers ways to participate in student-led programming, professional interests, and campus representation. Listed examples include the Campus Activities Board, Student Leadership Council, Community Outreach Team, and a group associated with the International Interior Design Association.

The Student Independent Exhibition also gives students an opportunity to organize and present creative work. Such activities can serve different purposes: an academic or professional group may connect classmates in a field, while a programming or leadership group helps shape events and student concerns. Organization names and activity can change from year to year, so new students should check the current recognition list and meeting information before counting on a particular group.

Who studies at Cleveland Institute of Art?

Cleveland Institute of Art is a small institution: its reported total enrollment was 545 students. The reported student-to-faculty ratio was 9 to 1, a measure of institutional scale rather than a promise about the size of every course or the amount of individual instruction.

In the reported entering group, 117 students were first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates, and 20 were transfer entrants. Reported geographic figures included students from Ohio and other U.S. states, so the student body is not limited to the Cleveland area. The reported first-time group included more women than men.

Counts by race and ethnicity also show a student population with varied backgrounds, but demographic totals alone cannot describe an individual's experience or the support available to them. Applicants looking for a particular community, accessibility service, or student resource should assess the current campus offerings directly.

How does student life look like at Cleveland Institute of Art?

Daily life at Cleveland Institute of Art is closely tied to studio schedules, critique, exhibitions, and work on individual and collaborative projects. Its small enrollment can make academic activity a visible part of campus life, though the experience will vary by major, year, and whether a student lives nearby.

Reported housing figures place about 55% of students on campus and 45% commuting. That mix makes the timing of evening events, studio access, and the trip home relevant to how students participate. CIA also reports personal counseling and student health resources; students who expect to use either should check current eligibility, appointment arrangements, and any referral procedures.

Orientation, exhibitions, and student programming provide structured ways to meet peers beyond class. The college's urban location also means students may spend time in the wider University Circle community rather than on a self-contained residential campus.

What libraries are available to students at Cleveland Institute of Art?

The Jessica R. Gund Library is Cleveland Institute of Art's main campus library. It supports art and design study through research materials and spaces for individual or group work.

Students can use library research help and seek materials beyond the physical collection through digital resources and borrowing arrangements. The library also allows students to reserve study rooms. For a project that depends on specialized images, periodicals, or historical sources, it is worth checking database access and borrowing rules early rather than relying only on freely available web material.

The library is not listed as a 24-hour study space. Students whose studio practice regularly runs late should distinguish library hours from access hours for studios, labs, and other campus facilities.

Cleveland Institute of Art Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

545

Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen

117

Total staff

49 full time, 55 part time

Veterans affair office

No

Cleveland Institute of Art Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Undergraduate: 545

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 540
Part-time: 5

Full-time degree-seeking students by gender

Women: 96
Men: 21

Students by race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino: 60
Black or African American: 84
White: 336
Asian: 20
Two or more races: 32
Unknown: 3

Cleveland Institute of Art Sports & Athletics

Varsity teams compete against other colleges, intramural teams within the school. Each column says whether men, women or both take part, and whether the sport offers athletic scholarships (Aid).

Sport

Varsity Intramural Aid

Basketball

–Both–

Cross-country running

–Both–

Football

–Both–

Golf

–Both–

Racquetball

–Both–

Soccer

–Both–

Softball

–Both–

Swimming and diving

–Both–

Tennis

–Both–

Track and field

–Both–

Ultimate Frisbee

–Both–

Volleyball

–Both–

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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