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Southern California Institute of Architecture

SCI-Arc

Los Angeles, California 90013-1822

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Tight-knitUrbanInternational

Strong graduate outcomes — close-knit campus

Southern California Institute of Architecture is a private urban institution in Los Angeles, California. The school is accessible to a wide range of students.

A small campus of 236 undergraduates with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

70% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $71,909 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $37,535.

Established
1972
Type
Private architecture school

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83%Acceptance
SAT Avg
236Students
9:1Student:Faculty
70%Grad Rate
$71,909Earnings 10yr
$37,535Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate82.7%

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

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$53,564
Books & Supplies$3,920
Total Cost of Attendance$67,014
Average Net Price$37,535

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$42,890
$30–48K$42,269
$110K+$24,769

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

77.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

4.3%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$33,250

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

0

Peer Average

3

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

0

Burglary

0

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

0

Motor Vehicle Theft

0

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

0

Drug Arrests

0

Liquor Arrests

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

Programs (7)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

82%

Mixed

Student Body

Undergrads
236
Gender Split
40% / 60%
Women / Men
Pell Grant Recipients
21%

Race & Ethnicity

White 15%
Black 2%
Hispanic 13%
Asian 12%
Two+ 3%
Int'l 55%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate70.0%
Freshman Retention82.1%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$53,274
10 Years$71,909

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

  • He was awarded the AIA/ACSA Topaz Medal for excellence in architecture education in 1990.
  • Neil Denari became director in 1997, Eric Owen Moss served as director from 2002–2015, and Hernán Díaz Alonso served as director and chief executive officer effective from 2015-2025.
  • On September 1, 2025, Díaz Alonso was succeeded as director and CEO by Winka Dubbeldam.
  • While SCI-Arc initially established a reputation as an unaccredited, experimental school, it has since been accredited.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

163Very High

Estimated from CA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 5"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

Los Angelespop. 3.9M
1 mi(2 min)
San Diegopop. 1.4M
111 mi(192 min)
San Franciscopop. 870K
348 mi(603 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

LAX Los Angeles12 mi
SAN San Diego109 mi
LAS Las Vegas224 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2591 mi · ~74h 51m drive
New York, NY2445 mi · ~70h 38m drive
Hartford, CT2510 mi · ~72h 31m drive
Providence, RI2575 mi · ~74h 23m drive
Albany, NY2453 mi · ~70h 52m drive
Syracuse, NY2331 mi · ~67h 20m drive
Rochester, NY2258 mi · ~65h 14m drive
Buffalo, NY2193 mi · ~63h 21m drive
Philadelphia, PA2388 mi · ~68h 59m drive
Pittsburgh, PA2132 mi · ~61h 35m drive
Harrisburg, PA2296 mi · ~66h 20m drive
Newark, NJ2436 mi · ~70h 22m drive
Washington, DC2294 mi · ~66h 16m drive
Baltimore, MD2314 mi · ~66h 51m drive
Atlanta, GA1932 mi · ~55h 49m drive
Charlotte, NC2115 mi · ~61h 6m drive
Raleigh, NC2231 mi · ~64h 27m drive
Miami, FL2335 mi · ~67h 27m drive
Orlando, FL2197 mi · ~63h 28m drive
Tampa, FL2149 mi · ~62h 5m drive
Nashville, TN1776 mi · ~51h 18m drive
New Orleans, LA1669 mi · ~48h 13m drive
Richmond, VA2281 mi · ~65h 54m drive
Chicago, IL1742 mi · ~50h 19m drive
Detroit, MI1979 mi · ~57h 10m drive
Minneapolis, MN1521 mi · ~43h 56m drive
St. Louis, MO1586 mi · ~45h 49m drive
Kansas City, MO1354 mi · ~39h 7m drive
Indianapolis, IN1805 mi · ~52h 9m drive
Columbus, OH1973 mi · ~57h drive
Cleveland, OH2045 mi · ~59h 5m drive
Milwaukee, WI1741 mi · ~50h 18m drive
Dallas, TX1237 mi · ~35h 44m drive
Houston, TX1370 mi · ~39h 35m drive
Austin, TX1224 mi · ~35h 22m drive
San Antonio, TX1201 mi · ~34h 42m drive
Los Angeles, CA1 mi · ~2 min drive
San Francisco, CA348 mi · ~10h 3m drive
San Diego, CA111 mi · ~3h 12m drive
Seattle, WA961 mi · ~27h 46m drive
Portland, OR827 mi · ~23h 53m drive
Denver, CO830 mi · ~23h 59m drive
Phoenix, AZ356 mi · ~10h 17m drive
Salt Lake City, UT580 mi · ~16h 45m drive
Honolulu, HI2561 mi · ~73h 59m drive
Southern (mild winters, hot summers)

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