Southern California Institute of Architecture

Southern California Institute of Architecture logo
#2915 / #764
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#1118
Most Desirable School
Private university in Los Angeles, California, United States

Southern California Institute of Architecture at a Glance

U.S. influence rank
#764
Acceptance rate (fall 2024)
77%
Tuition and fees (2025–26)
$58,960
Graduation rate
86%
Undergraduates (fall 2024)
236

Reviewed by , Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error

About Southern California Institute of Architecture

According to Wikipedia, Southern California Institute of Architecture is a private architecture school in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1972, SCI-Arc was initially regarded as both institutionally and artistically avant-garde and more adventurous than traditional architecture schools based in the United States. It consists of approximately 500 students and 80 faculty members, some of whom are practicing architects. It is based in the quarter-mile long former Santa Fe Freight Depot in the Arts District in downtown Los Angeles and also offers community events such as outreach programs, free exhibitions, and public lectures.

Southern California Institute of Architecture Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceRetention RateGraduation Rate
60677%91%86%

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.

How Much Does Southern California Institute of Architecture Cost To Attend?

Tuition and fees (in-state)
$58,960

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.

How Much Do Southern California Institute of Architecture Graduates Make?

Ten years after starting college, former Southern California Institute of Architecture students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $73,810 a year, and 88% of those not still in school are working.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.

Southern California Institute of Architecture's Demographics

Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
611248363

Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.

Where is Southern California Institute of Architecture?

Southern California Institute of Architecture is located at 960 E. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013-1822.

How Safe is Southern California Institute of Architecture?

Relative to its enrollment, Southern California Institute of Architecture has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Los Angeles has a violent crime rate of 0.73% and a property crime rate of 1.50%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.

What Is Southern California Institute of Architecture Known For?

Southern California Institute of Architecture is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:

Southern California Institute of Architecture's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Each rank compares how much Southern California Institute of Architecture's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence

Engineering
#723
World Rank
#747
Historical Rank
#153
USA Rank

Southern California Institute of Architecture ranks #153 in the U.S. and #723 worldwide for influence in Engineering.

engineering Degrees
Education
#6320
World Rank
#6323
Historical Rank
#1610
USA Rank

Southern California Institute of Architecture ranks #1610 in the U.S. and #6320 worldwide for influence in Education.

education Degrees

Who Are Southern California Institute of Architecture's Most Influential Alumni?

Southern California Institute of Architecture's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Engineering, Philosophy, and Social Work. Here are some of Southern California Institute of Architecture's most famous alumni:

Thom Mayne
An American architect .
Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban
A Japanese architect.
Barbara Bestor
An American architect.
Gordon Kipping
An American architect.
Karen M'Closkey
A Landscape architect and associate professor.
Ola-dele Kuku
A Nigerian architect.