PrivateUrbanCleveland Institute of Art
CIA
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1710
Data last updated: August 29, 2026
Close-knit campus
Cleveland Institute of Art is a private urban institution in Cleveland, Ohio. The school is accessible to a wide range of students, with an average SAT of 1156.
A small campus of 560 undergraduates with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.
68% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $42,509 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $41,480.
More About This School
History & Fun Facts
- •History The college was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women, at first attended by one teacher and one pupil in the sitting room of its founder, Sarah Kimball.
- •The school moved several times, first to the attic of the Old Cleveland City Hall, then to the Old Kelly homestead on Wilson Avenue (now East 55th Street).
- •Having become a co-educational school, it was renamed the Cleveland School of Art in 1892.
- •In the fall of 1905, the first classes were held in a newly constructed building at the corner of Magnolia Drive and Juniper Road in Cleveland's University Circle.
- •Beginning in 1917, the school offered classes for children and adults on weekends and in the summer.
Source: Wikipedia
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Admissions
SAT Score Ranges
Average: 1156
ACT Score Range
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.
Deadline Calendar
Typical Application Requirements
Cost & Financial Aid
Sticker Price
Net Price by Family Income
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
19.0%
Avg Tuition Increase
3.3%/yr
Median Debt at Grad
$26,500
Programs (6)
Outcomes
Median Earnings After Graduation
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.
Student Life
Student Satisfaction
Retention Rate
86%
Student Body
Race & Ethnicity
Campus Safety
Total Incidents (2024)
3
Peer Average
3
3-Year Trend
Emergency System
Campus security, emergency notification system
Incident Breakdown (2024)
Burglary
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Motor Vehicle Theft
Sex Offenses
Arson
Drug Arrests
Liquor Arrests
Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).
Location & Lifestyle
Cost of Living
Estimated from OH state average + large city premium