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Columbus College of Art & Design

#1511 in US ranking Columbus, OH
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$57,491
Tuition & fees
$42,995
Avg. aid
$22,725
Receiving aid
100%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
68%

Outcomes

Graduation rate
56%
Median salary
$27,558
1 yr after graduation

What does Columbus College of Art & Design offer in terms of athletics?

CCAD is not presented in the reported institutional information as a college with a varsity athletics program or an NCAA conference affiliation. Applicants seeking a recruited varsity team should verify that a specific sport exists before treating athletics as part of their college plan.

Recreational activity is a different question from varsity competition. Student-led games or other informal activities may be possible, but their availability can change by term and should not be mistaken for funded teams, athletic scholarships, or a standing intramural league.

What student groups and Associations are available at Columbus College of Art & Design?

Student organizations give CCAD students ways to organize events, represent peers, and meet people outside their classes. Reported examples include the Student Government Association, Student Collective, Student Programming Board, and CCAD Battle Alliance.

These groups serve different purposes: student government provides a channel for representation, while programming and interest-based groups create opportunities to participate in campus activities. Names on an organization list do not establish that every group is active each term. A prospective student looking for a specific creative, cultural, or recreational community should check the current roster and meeting schedule.

Who studies at Columbus College of Art & Design?

CCAD enrolled 916 students in the reported institutional count. Its scale is substantially smaller than that of a large public university, and its reported student-to-faculty ratio is 10 to 1; that ratio does not specify the size of every studio or lecture class.

The reported incoming first-time group included 234 degree-seeking students, while 40 students entered as transfers. Most enrolled students were traditional college age: the largest age groups were 18-19 and 20-21. Older students also attend, though in smaller numbers.

About 70% of students were Ohio residents and 21% came from other U.S. states in the reported geographic breakdown. These figures describe enrollment, not the experiences or interests of individual students. They are most useful for understanding the college's size and regional draw.

How does student life look like at Columbus College of Art & Design?

Everyday life at CCAD is shaped by studio courses, project deadlines, and a campus population split between residents and commuters. Students who spend long hours making work may experience the campus differently from someone whose classes meet only briefly each day.

Organized activities and events provide opportunities to connect beyond a major, while personal and psychological counseling is among the reported student services. For a commuter, the timing of activities matters as much as their existence. For a first-year resident, access to shared spaces and peers can make participation easier, though individual experiences will vary.

Applicants comparing campuses should consider when they will realistically be on campus, what facilities they will need outside class, and how they prefer to meet people. Those questions are particularly relevant at a specialized college where academic and social activities can overlap.

What libraries are available to students at Columbus College of Art & Design?

Packard Library is CCAD's main campus library. For art and design students, library resources can complement studio instruction by supporting visual research, writing, and investigation of artists, designers, and historical movements.

Students should look beyond the number of library buildings when comparing resources. Access to relevant books, journals, digital research materials, and help locating sources may matter more to a project than collection size alone. Students who need a particular database, item, borrowing service, or study arrangement should check the library's current holdings and access policies.

Columbus College of Art & Design Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

916

Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen

234

Total staff

54 full time, 105 part time

Veterans affair office

No

Columbus College of Art & Design Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Undergraduate: 884
Graduate: 32

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 872
Part-time: 44

Full-time degree-seeking students by gender

Women: 171
Men: 63

Students by race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino: 77
Black or African American: 107
White: 586
Asian: 36
Two or more races: 37
Unknown: 35

Freshly enrolled students' age

Under 25 years
Over 25 years

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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