Annual Report 2024–25

Empowering the next generation of artists and designers

You’ve opened doors for emerging artists, designers, architects, and visionaries whose work will shape San Francisco’s creative future, and our shared world.

— David Howse, President

Thank you for believing in the next generation of artists and designers at California College of the Arts. Every size and type of gift matters. Your generosity helps fuel an idea from concept to launch, keeps a studio operating, and relieves the burden of financial stress of so many students and their families.

2024–25 by the Numbers

$32M
Financial Aid Awarded
$44.5M
Philanthropic Giving
89%
Students Receiving Aid
96%
Donor Retention Rate

Academic Programs

A home for architects, artists, designers, researchers, and writers

4
Academic Divisions
27
Programs Offered
1,295
Students Enrolled

Total Enrollment and Degrees Conferred

Non-degree students excluded

1,295
Total students enrolled, fall term
991
Undergraduate enrolled
304
Graduate enrolled
521
Degrees conferred in academic year
334
Undergraduate degrees
187
Graduate degrees

Enrollment by Academic Division

154
Architecture
564
Design
468
Fine Arts
99
Humanities & Sciences

Scholarship Student Information

90%
Undergraduates receiving institutional aid
$40,784
Average annual scholarship per student
26%
First-generation college students
72%
Alumni working in their field — Undergraduate
71%
Alumni working in their field — Graduate
73%
Employed within 12 months — Undergraduate
82%
Employed within 12 months — Graduate

Philanthropy & Giving

Generosity that fuels impact and innovation

In Fiscal Year 2024–25, 716 donors gave a combined $44.5M to support CCA, from scholarships to operating funds. Your support and generosity make each day at CCA an opportunity to create new work, ask more questions, and solve more problems.

$44.5M
Total philanthropic giving
740
Total number of gifts
716
Total donors
115
New donors (first-time givers)
440
Returning donors
81%
Board of Trustees participation rate

Our Donor Community

Individuals 602
Corporations 73
Foundations 56
Other Organizations/Government 32

Gifts from Individuals

Friends 333
Alumni 190
Parents 89
Faculty/Staff 44

Where Giving Goes

Scholarships & financial aid $1.23M
Academic programs $1.8M
Endowment $301K
Unrestricted/Operations $3.6M
Huang Challenge $16.9M
Huang Challenge Match Dollars $20M
CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts $357,820.00

Levels of Giving

Donors giving $100,000+ 36
Donors giving $50,000+ 12
Donors giving $25,000+ 17
Donors giving $10,000+ 27
Donors giving $1,000+ 95
Donors giving Under $999 212
"I think [scholarships] are a relief because I know college can be really expensive and it also helps facilitate my education while also in hand with my practice… It makes me feel more confident in what I'm working on because it's like, 'I deserve to be here. I received this because I deserve to work on this work and this is my path.'"
— Emma De La Rosa, BFA Ceramics
Corporate & Foundation Partners
Cotton Incorporated
Gensler
MHF
Terra Foundation for American Art
Z Supply

Student Stories

No matter what path or program they chose, CCA students are wholeheartedly committed to their practice and professional development, and most importantly, share a vision for making the world a better place through art and design.

Emma De La Rosa BFA Ceramics
Ethan Garcia BArch Architecture
Flynn Goodwin BFA Industrial Design

Alumni Impact

25,000+ artists and designers
shaping the world

CCA alumni continue to spread the impact of their education around the world. From producing award-winning films, creating new business ventures, writing novels, teaching at universities, and more, CCA alumni are fulfilling our mission of making art that matters wherever they are.

25,486
Total living alumni
10,569
Alumni in the Bay Area
54.1%
Alumni based in California
68
Countries represented
683
Alumni-led companies
73
Industries represented

Top Industries

Fine Arts–GeneralArchitecture / Urban PlanningEducation–HigherGraphic DesignDesign–GeneralArts Management / Museum / GalleryIndustrial Design / Product DesignFashion / Clothing DesignInterior Design / Interior ArchitectureTechnology
"CCA did not feel like a school. It felt like an incubator for real world impact and real world projects."
— Honey Mehta, MDes Interaction Design

Community Engagement

A hub for creative citizenship,
curiosity, and community

CCA's dynamic public programming brings the most important thinkers and makers to campus through events, lectures, exhibitions, and more. All of CCA's lectures, symposiums, and workshops are free, offering opportunities for students and the public to engage with a diverse range of cultural topics and creative practices.

Photos by Nicholas Lea Bruno/CCA except where noted.

Stay Connected

Follow along on our final chapter

Our campus remains a vibrant, lively home for makers and creators. We invite you to catch up on our students' amazing achievements in the newsroom or join us at any of our weekly public events. Subscribe to the Creative Brief newsletter to stay up to date on events and news from the college.