Cornish College of the Arts SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements
Cornish’s 62% acceptance rate makes admission realistic for many applicants, but the 69% freshman retention rate means fit matters once you arrive. Use the test-optional policy strategically: submit SAT or ACT scores only if they add clear academic strength to your creative profile.
Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.
Cornish College of the Arts facts and stats
Cornish College of the Arts is an urban arts college with an undergraduate enrollment of 505 students. Cornish has a 69% freshman retention rate and a 56% 6-year graduation rate. The student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1.
Seattle, WA

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Key Cornish College of the Arts application dates
Key dates
Regular Decision
February 15
Early Action
December 1
Early Decision
Not offered
Priority Deadline
—
Financial Aid Priority
February 1
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
September 19, 2026
Registration deadline: August 14, 2026
October 17, 2026
Registration deadline: September 11, 2026
December 12, 2026
Registration deadline: November 6, 2026
If you choose to submit scores to test-optional Cornish, plan to take your first SAT or ACT by the spring of junior year. Use the summer before senior year and the fall of senior year for retakes, with October as the last practical retake for scores to arrive by the December 1 Early Action deadline.
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What you'll actually pay
Cornish is a private not-for-profit, so the same rate applies to all students. Tuition and fees are $43,330, and students should submit the FAFSA by the February 1 priority deadline for financial aid consideration.

At Cornish College of the Arts, tuition and fees plus room and board total about $59,543 per year before books, supplies, and personal expenses. As a private not-for-profit arts college, the amount students actually pay can vary based on financial need and any institutional or outside scholarships. Graduates leave with an average of $37,686 in debt, which can help families gauge the longer-term cost.
Student life at Cornish College of the Arts
Freshman housing: Guaranteed
No fraternity or sorority life on campus.
Similar schools
Antioch University-Seattle
Seattle, WAAcceptance rate: 80%
Bellevue College
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Big Bend Community College
Moses Lake, WAAcceptance rate: 17.4%
Centralia College
Centralia, WAAcceptance rate: 90.3%
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