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Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle, Washington 98121

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Tight-knitUrban

Close-knit campus

Cornish College of the Arts is a private urban institution in Seattle, Washington. The school is accessible to a wide range of students.

A small campus of 480 undergraduates with a 6:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

52% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $33,696 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $39,060.

Established
1914
Type
Private art college

Plan Your Visit

70%Acceptance
SAT Avg
480Students
6:1Student:Faculty
52%Grad Rate
$33,696Earnings 10yr
$39,060Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate70.5%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$39,913
Room & Board$15,760
Books & Supplies$1,800
Total Cost of Attendance$55,150
Average Net Price$39,060
Median Debt at Graduation$27,000
Monthly Payment (10yr)$286

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$28,155
$30–48K$30,948
$48–75K$36,693
$75–110K$40,853
$110K+$44,405

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

27.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

1.0%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$20,610

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

3

Peer Average

3

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

1

Burglary

0

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

0

Motor Vehicle Theft

0

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

1

Drug Arrests

1

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (10)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

69%

Below Average

Student Body

Undergrads
480
Gender Split
69% / 31%
Women / Men
First Generation
23%
Pell Grant Recipients
30%

Race & Ethnicity

White 66%
Black 5%
Hispanic 1%
Asian 5%
Two+ 8%
Int'l 2%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate52.0%
Freshman Retention68.5%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$27,580
10 Years$33,696

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

More About This School

History & Fun Facts

  • In 1915, the school was known as The Cornish School of Music Language and Dancing.
  • Cornish would go on to serve as the school's director for its first 25 years, until 1939.
  • In 1915, the first full academic year, eurhythmics was added and the first studio arts classes taught.
  • That year, Cornish became one of the first West Coast schools of any type to offer a summer session.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

132Very High

Estimated from WA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

Seattlepop. 740K
1 mi(2 min)
Portlandpop. 650K
146 mi(253 min)
San Franciscopop. 870K
680 mi(1179 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

SEA Seattle-Tacoma12 mi
PDX Portland OR141 mi
BOI Boise407 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2486 mi · ~71h 49m drive
New York, NY2402 mi · ~69h 23m drive
Hartford, CT2430 mi · ~70h 12m drive
Providence, RI2486 mi · ~71h 49m drive
Albany, NY2353 mi · ~67h 59m drive
Syracuse, NY2232 mi · ~64h 29m drive
Rochester, NY2162 mi · ~62h 27m drive
Buffalo, NY2111 mi · ~60h 59m drive
Philadelphia, PA2373 mi · ~68h 33m drive
Pittsburgh, PA2133 mi · ~61h 37m drive
Harrisburg, PA2283 mi · ~65h 57m drive
Newark, NJ2394 mi · ~69h 10m drive
Washington, DC2322 mi · ~67h 5m drive
Baltimore, MD2328 mi · ~67h 15m drive
Atlanta, GA2179 mi · ~62h 57m drive
Charlotte, NC2281 mi · ~65h 54m drive
Raleigh, NC2362 mi · ~68h 14m drive
Miami, FL2732 mi · ~78h 55m drive
Orlando, FL2547 mi · ~73h 35m drive
Tampa, FL2527 mi · ~73h drive
Nashville, TN1971 mi · ~56h 56m drive
New Orleans, LA2099 mi · ~60h 38m drive
Richmond, VA2352 mi · ~67h 57m drive
Chicago, IL1733 mi · ~50h 4m drive
Detroit, MI1933 mi · ~55h 51m drive
Minneapolis, MN1391 mi · ~40h 11m drive
St. Louis, MO1721 mi · ~49h 43m drive
Kansas City, MO1503 mi · ~43h 25m drive
Indianapolis, IN1868 mi · ~53h 58m drive
Columbus, OH2009 mi · ~58h 2m drive
Cleveland, OH2021 mi · ~58h 23m drive
Milwaukee, WI1688 mi · ~48h 46m drive
Dallas, TX1680 mi · ~48h 32m drive
Houston, TX1890 mi · ~54h 36m drive
Austin, TX1770 mi · ~51h 8m drive
San Antonio, TX1786 mi · ~51h 36m drive
Los Angeles, CA961 mi · ~27h 46m drive
San Francisco, CA680 mi · ~19h 39m drive
San Diego, CA1065 mi · ~30h 46m drive
Seattle, WA1 mi · ~2 min drive
Portland, OR146 mi · ~4h 13m drive
Denver, CO1020 mi · ~29h 28m drive
Phoenix, AZ1115 mi · ~32h 13m drive
Salt Lake City, UT700 mi · ~20h 13m drive
Honolulu, HI2680 mi · ~77h 25m drive
Northern (cold winters, cool summers)

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