California College of the Arts

Key Highlights

• Operating and accredited through the 2026–27 academic year
• Scheduled to close after Spring 2027
• Founded in 1907 and renamed California College of the Arts in 2003
• Vanderbilt’s planned Fall 2027 institution will be separate from CCA

Student Life & Environment

CCA’s student community is concentrated around creative practice, exhibitions, campus events, and organizations serving academic interests and student identities. The college’s student-life materials describe more than a dozen organizations, along with undergraduate Student Council, the Graduate Student Alliance, and resident-adviser roles. Examples have included the Students of Color Coalition, a Chinese students and scholars association, and an AIGA student chapter. Advising, learning resources, health and wellness support, and career development are also presented as parts of the student-support structure. For 2026–27, residential life is narrower than older descriptions of CCA housing may suggest. CCA states that Founders Hall is its residential option for the academic year and that Blattner Hall stopped operating for CCA residential students after Spring 2026. Founders Hall offers studio and suite configurations, with meal-plan requirements depending on whether a unit has a kitchenette. Published move-out is May 11, 2027. The teach-out is likely to shape the lived experience as much as regular campus programming. CCA says exhibitions, classes, commencement, shops, and studios will continue, while transition counseling and transfer planning are now central services. Students considering clubs, leadership positions, housing, or campus employment should verify that a particular activity will run during the final year rather than relying on undated or historical webpages.

Location & Surroundings

CCA’s active main campus is at 145 Hooper Street in San Francisco, in the city’s Design District. This is an urban setting oriented toward studios, shops, classrooms, galleries, and public-facing creative activity rather than a large, self-contained residential campus. The college connects its location with access to the Bay Area’s art, design, architecture, cultural, and technology communities. Students can encounter creative work both on campus and across San Francisco through museums, galleries, exhibitions, lectures, internships, and professional events. CCA’s Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts is an exhibition and research venue within the institution’s urban footprint. The location may be especially useful for students seeking professional exposure alongside studio study, but San Francisco housing and daily expenses require careful budgeting. Location planning must account for the transition. Founders Hall remains available for 2026–27, while Blattner Hall no longer houses CCA residential students. Vanderbilt is expected to own the campus and establish a separate institution after CCA closes; continued use of the site does not mean that CCA itself will remain open after Spring 2027.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For continuing students, CCA’s published 2026–27 undergraduate tuition is $60,864 for full-time study, or $30,432 per Fall or Spring term for 12–18 units. Undergraduate fees are listed as $900. Graduate tuition varies by program; CCA’s summary gives a 2026–27 range of $44,346 to $76,968. These figures apply to CCA’s final academic year and should not be projected beyond Spring 2027. Founders Hall academic-year housing ranges from $14,820 for a double studio to higher-priced private or suite configurations. Meal plans range from optional limited plans to required plans based on room facilities; for example, the Essential plan is $6,932 for the academic year and is required in Founders units without kitchens. Actual budgets also depend on supplies, transportation, food, personal expenses, and any applicable aid. Continuing students should compare their individual bill and financial-aid package rather than relying only on headline tuition. CCA offers career support through professional advisers and Handshake, including job and internship listings, portfolio and résumé review, interview preparation, career events, and guidance for freelance or entrepreneurial practice. No current salary or placement rate was verified, so career outcomes should not be inferred from these services alone. Because the institution is closing, students should also confirm how long particular career services, accounts, and alumni resources will remain available after Spring 2027.