Facts + Stats

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Location and Campus

Our campus includes the George Gund building, home to our classrooms, studio and adminstrative offices, as well as residence halls for freshmen and sophomores, both just steps from our academic building.

Our campus is located east of downtown Cleveland, in the heart of Cleveland’s cultural district, University Circle. Chosen by Forbes Magazine as “one of the ten prettiest neighborhoods in the country,” University Circle is home to students from Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and CIA. We also share University Circle with major arts institutions such as the world-renowned Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Orchestra, as well as the Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Cleveland History Center.

University Circle is also home to world-class healthcare organizations including the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Majors

CIA offers 13 majors in the fine arts, design, craft, and entertainment arts. 

Faculty

CIA has approximately 50 full-time and 70 adjunct faculty, who are all professional artists, designers, and scholars. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1.

Student Body

CIA has around 600 students from across the country and the world. 

Admissions

Students may enter as a first-year (freshman) or as a transfer student (with advanced standing). Admission is based on a portfolio review, academic record, recommendations and SAT or ACT scores (optional). Visit Admissions to learn more about the application process.

Financial Aid

CIA offers scholarships based on academic history and portfolio quality. Need-based aid is also available. Learn more about financial aid at CIA.

Academic Calendar

View CIA's academic calendar.

Retention Rate

90% of the Fall 2020 FTIAC (first time in any college) cohort returned in Fall 2021.
Source: IPEDS

Graduation Rate

The 4-year graduation rate for FTIAC (first time in any college) students entering in Fall 2016 was 65%.

Rankings

Three national college assessment organizations have included the Cleveland Institute of Art on their annual lists of schools that deliver a high-quality education. 

• The Princeton Review, a prestigious education services company, included CIA among its collection of 158 high-quality colleges and universities in 12 Midwestern states. CIA was the only dedicated college of art and design on the list. 
• Payscale.com’s Best 2020-21 College Salary Report assessed colleges and universities on student’s post-graduation salary potential. Among 415 colleges cited by Payscale for positive salary potential in the arts, CIA ranked in the top third for art majors. 666. It was the highest ranking received for any dedicated art and design school in Ohio and all border states.
• According to the 2020 Rookies international rankings organization, CIA ranked #2 in the world for Animation education, and five recent grads placed in their annual student competition.
• CIA's Life Sciences Illustration program was ranked the Top Medical Illustration/Medical Illustrator Bachelor's Degree Program for 2023 by College Raptor, a rankings and college-planning website.

Accreditation and Membership

Cleveland Institute of Art is an independent, not-for-profit college accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Higher Learning Commission, and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). 

Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
800.621.7440