Established in 1918, Otis College of Art and Design is a non-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California, US. It strives to shape its students into highly-skilled, well-informed, and responsible professionals. The college is accredited by the WSCUC Senior College and University Commission.
It has over 1,000 students enrolled in its undergraduate and graduate programs. With 26% of students as international, representing 24 countries, it is one of the most culturally diverse Arts and Design institutions in the USA. It is a proud alma mater of Fulbright, MacArthur, and Guggenheim grant recipients, Oscar awardees, legendary costume designers, and many more.
Otis College of Art and Design offers 11 Bachelor’s degrees and 4 Master’s degrees. The most popular majors at the college are Digital Arts, Fashion/Apparel Design, Design, and Visual Communications, Fine/Studio Arts, and Design and Applied Arts. Its graduates have some of the best job opportunities in the USA. Its alumni work in companies like Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, Pixar, DreamWorks, Mattel, Nike, and Disney.
Otis College of Arts and Design Rankings
Otis College of Arts and Design has been ranked by various agencies:
- #4 in the list of top 50 Colleges that add the most value in the nation by the Money Magazine.
- #6 in the list of Post Graduate Median Salary in the nation by The Economist.
- #2 in the list of top colleges for the aspiring fashion designers by the College Magazine.
- #4 in the West Coast and #20 nationwide in the list of best graphic design programs by the Animation Career Review.
- #2 in the list of top 20 animation programs in the West by the Animation Career Review.
- Occupied #8 position in the list of 50 best graphic design degrees by College Choice.
The rankings of Otis College of Art and Design by different website/institutes are tabulated below:
| Category | Ranking | Website/Institute |
|---|---|---|
| College of Design Ranking Nationally | 6th | The Economist |
| US College Ranking | 217th | Times Higher Education |
| College of Arts and Design Ranking | 4th | Money |
| Design School Ranking | 34th | Animation Career Review |
| Arts & Design Ranking | 1st | Fashion School Org |
| Fashion Program | 9th | Fashion School Org |
Highlights
| Type | Private |
| Year of establishment | 1918 |
| Academic Calendar | Semester based |
| Intake seasons | Fall and Spring |
| Total enrollments | 1100 full-time students |
| International students | 26% |
| College acres(In acres) | 5 |
| The student to faculty ratio | 8:1 |
| Financial aids | Scholarships, Grants, and Loans |
| Placements within a year | 90% |
Campus
- The campus of Otis College of Arts and Design is made on a 5-acres land and consists of a library, student clubs, organizations, labs, shops, residence halls, and various academic classes.
- The campus has around 25% of its students from more than 42 countries, making it a diverse college.
- There are several video labs, audio labs, laboratory press, model shop, wood, and metal shops.
- The library at the college has a large collection of books about 40,000, 130,000 electronic books, and millions of article collections.
- They have 24-hour emergency telephone lines, including 24-hour patrolling service/escort service and also other health services inside the college premises.
Otis College of Arts and Design Residence
- There are residential facilities for students on campus. Other than these, there are plenty of off-campus housing facilities for international students.
- There are two housing options available for the students
- Park West Apartment
- Residence Halls
- The students can avail of laundry facilities, cable connections, refrigerators, air-conditioners, etc.
- The rooms of the halls and apartments are comfortable and clean with everyday maintenance.
- The charges of the rooms vary for various room types. Here are the fees for various housing halls and apartments in tabular form.
| Type of the room | Full academic year fee(In USD) |
|---|---|
| Shared Space(Residential Halls) | 11,740 |
| Private space(Residential Halls) | 22,480 |
| Shared apartment with 2 beds | 13,390 |
| Private apartment with a bed and a bath | 24,780 |
- The college provides various meal plans such as a 10-meal plan, a 14-meal plan, and a 17-meal plan.
- First-year students have to choose at least a 14-meal plan.
- Fee details for various meal plans are tabulated below:
| Meal Plan | Fee(In USD) |
|---|---|
| 10-meal plan+100 dining dollars | 3,740 |
| 14-meal plan+150 dining dollars | 4,995 |
| 17-meal plan+150 dining dollars | 5,750 |
Otis College of Arts and Design Programs
- The college offers undergraduate, graduate, and summer programs to interested students.
- Programs at Otis College of Arts and Design include 11 degrees in bachelor's and four in master’s programs.
- Master’s programs are offered in fine arts, public practice, writing, and graphic design.
- There are 3 core programs, 7 majors, and 19 minors in undergraduate studies.
- The college is famous for fashion designing, graphic designing, architecture, and several other art courses.
- Some of the most preferred majors that this institution offers are- Digital Arts, General Design and Visual Communications, Visual and Performing Arts, Fashion and Apparel, Architecture, etc.
Otis College of Arts and Design Application Process
International students who would like to join this college have to meet some requirements. Given below are the application deadlines and requirements for getting admitted at Otis College of Arts and Design.
For Undergraduate Admissions
- Admission Portal: Online(Apply here)/ Common Application
- Application fee: 50 USD
- Application Requirements:
- Personal statement with 500 words describing your interests, background, etc.
- Submission of previous works in the college portfolio.
- Official transcripts
- English proficiency test scores(TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
- SAT/ACT(not mandatory)
- Letter of Recommendation(if applicable)
- Deadlines
- Fall Semester deadlines
- Application openings: August 1
- Early action deadline: December 1
- Priority deadline: February 15
The priority deadline has been extended by the college due to COVID-19 issues.
- Spring Semester Deadlines
- Application openings: August 1
- Priority deadline: November 1
For Graduate Admissions
- Admission portal: Online
- Application fee: 50 USD
- Admission requirements:
- Official transcripts of your previous school
- Interview(on request)
- English proficiency test scores(IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo)
- Resume
- Submitting your previous works in the portfolio
- Personal statement
- Letter of Recommendation(optional)
- Deadlines:
- For Fall Semester
- Due to COVID issues, the fall semester priority deadlines have been extended.
- Priority deadlines: January 15
- Application openings: August 1
- Spring Semester
- Application openings: August 1
- Priority deadlines: November 1
- For Fall Semester
Otis College of Arts and Design Cost of Attendance
- The cost of attendance depends on several factors including tuition fees, books, housing, travel, etc and depends on the budget and other expenses incurred while studying in the US.
- Here is the complete cost of attendance for international students in a tabular form.
The estimated cost of attendance for undergraduate and graduate programs is tabulated below:
| Expenses | BFA Per Semester (USD) | MFA Per Semester (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 23,850 | 23,850 |
| Health Centre Fee | 200 | 200 |
| Technology Fee | 125 | 125 |
| Student Activity Fee | 125 | 125 |
| Book/Supplies | 420 | 272 |
| Personal Expenses | 760 | 760 |
| Room Board | 7,872 | 7,872 |
| Otis Student Health Insurance | 950 (Fall) /1330 (Spring) | 950 (Fall)/ 1330 (Spring) |
| Total | 34,302 (Fall) /34,682 (Spring) | 34,302 (Fall) /34,682 (Spring) |
Otis College of Arts and Design Financial Aid
- Otis College of Arts and Design offers several financial aid programs in the form of Scholarships, Grants, Study Loans, etc.
- Over 87% of the degree students receive scholarships from the college.
- All students of the college including international students are eligible to receive merit-based scholarships and need-based scholarships to study in the US.
- The students who submit their application form by early action deadline, the college sends you detailed information about the scholarships and other financial aid programs.
- The entitled candidates will be offered with almost USD 16,658 scholarship amount.
- After confirmation of your admission at this college, you should submit your CSS Profile and FAFSA forms as per the college guidelines to avail of financial aids.
Alumni Network
- The Otis College of Arts and Design has maintained a good alumni network since the 1920s.
- A few notable alumni in several creative fields are:
- Tom McKimson: Famous animator
- Tyros Wong: Famous painter, lithographer, muralist and designer
- Sara Hunsucker: One of the fine arts students and expert in making cultural moment objects
- David Orkand: Architecture
- Wanda Weller: Famous designing director for outdoor clothing
- Kris Paulson: Toy designer
Otis College of Arts and Design Placement
- About 94% of total graduates get employment within 6 months of their graduation.
- It helps its students get High-Impact Practices like internships through a supportive Careers Services department.
- In November 2015, The Economist ranked Otis College of Design 6th in the nation and the only art and design school for the value of its education in relation to employment and earning.
- Its alumni work in companies like Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, Pixar, DreamWorks, Mattel, Nike, and Disney.
- The starting median salary of an Otis graduate according to US News is USD 52, 900.
- The salary of this college graduate after 10 years of graduation as per THE is USD 44,300
The average and median salary of Otis College of Art and Design graduates are tabulated below:
| Basis | Salary (USD) |
|---|---|
| Average Salary | 49,782 |
| Arts & Design Average Salary | 43,948 |
| Liberal Arts Average Salary | 41,053 |
| Average Salary | 50,944 |
| Median Salary | 49,752 |
Some other placement statistics of college graduates is as follows:
| Employment after graduation (Months) | Total Student (%) |
|---|---|
| 4-6 | 21 |
| After 6 | 3 |
| Still looking | 3 |
| Before graduation | 38 |
| Within 3 months | 35 |
Several students from this college are seen as architects, creative designers, production assistants, brand designers, etc in various companies. Students get jobs in multinational companies, and many other famous companies within a year of their graduation. The employment rate of the college is 90% with 36% of the students placed in companies before graduation.
FAQs
Ques. What is the acceptance rate of Otis College of Art and Design?
It is selective while accepting applicants for its final admissions. The acceptance rate in fall was 78%.
Ques. Is Otis College of Art and Design a reputed school?
It is one of the best art & design private colleges located in Los Angeles, California. It was the first independent professional school of art in the city.
Ques. What is the application deadline for undergraduate programs?
The application deadline for the undergraduate spring term is November 1.
Ques. What are some popular courses offered at Otis College of Art and Design?
The most popular majors at the college are Digital Arts, Fashion/Apparel Design, Design, and Visual Communications, Fine/Studio Arts, and Design and Applied Arts.
Ques. What is the average salary of Otis graduates/alumni?
The average salary of batch graduates was USD 49,782.
Ques. What is the national ranking of this college?
The College of Design of Otis College of Art and Design has been ranked 6th among the US by The Economist.
Ques. Does Otis College of Art and Design provide financial aid/scholarship to needy students?
Yes. About 84% of total degree students receive a scholarship/financial aid opportunities. College also offers grants, student loans, and work-study financial aid to its students.
Ques. What is the total cost of attendance for BFA programs at Otis College of Art and Design?
The total cost of attendance of the BFA program for the fall and spring term respectively is USD 34,302 and USD 34,682 per semester.
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