Private not-for-profit

Medium

School of the Art Institute of Chicago SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements

SAT RangeN/A

ACT RangeN/A

Average GPA3.60

Acceptance Rate77.5%

With a 77.5% acceptance rate, your main job at SAIC is not chasing a narrow admissions cutoff. Keep your academics near the 3.6 GPA profile, use test scores only if they strengthen your record, and put real effort into the creative work and fit signals that shape an art-school application.

Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago facts and stats

Quick Facts

School of the Art Institute of Chicago enrolls about 2,806 undergraduates in an urban campus setting. SAIC has an 84% freshman retention rate, which is above the national average of roughly 70%. Its 6-year graduation rate is 67%, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1.

Location

Chicago, IL

Undergrad Enrollment2,806

Freshman Retention84%

SettingUrban

Student to Faculty Ratio10:1

Graduation Rate67%

Test PolicyTest-optional

How does your GPA compare at SAIC?

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Key School of the Art Institute of Chicago application dates

Key dates

Application deadlines

Regular Decision

April 15

Early Action

November 15

Early Decision

Not offered

Priority Deadline

—

Financial aid deadlines

Financial Aid Priority

March 1

Test dates

SAT test dates

August 22, 2026

Registration deadline: August 7, 2026

September 12, 2026

Registration deadline: August 28, 2026

October 3, 2026

Registration deadline: September 18, 2026

ACT test dates

September 19, 2026

Registration deadline: August 14, 2026

October 17, 2026

Registration deadline: September 11, 2026

December 12, 2026

Registration deadline: November 6, 2026

Take tests early for the best outcomes

If you choose to submit scores to test-optional SAIC, take your first SAT or ACT by the spring of junior year, then use the summer before senior year and October for retakes to improve a superscore. Because SAIC’s earliest deadline is Early Action on November 15, an October SAT or ACT is the last fall retake you should count on arriving in time.

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What you'll actually pay

SAIC is a private not-for-profit, so the same tuition and fees rate applies to all students. Tuition and fees are $55,440, and students should submit the FAFSA by the March 1 priority deadline to be considered for financial aid.

Tuition and Fees$55,440

Room and Board$16,550

Average Merit AwardN/A

Application Fee$65

Students on AidN/A

Average Aid PackageN/A

Average Debt at GradN/A

As a private not-for-profit art school, SAIC’s listed cost of attendance is about $71,990, including $55,440 in tuition and fees and $16,550 for room and board. What students actually pay can vary based on financial need, scholarships, and living arrangements. Families should compare the published price with any aid offer to understand the net cost.