Established in 1918 as Los Angeles’ first professional school of the arts, Otis College of Art and Design is a non-profit 501(c)3 institution and a national leader in art and design education. The College educates a diverse community of over 1,200 students to become highly skilled, well-informed, and responsible professionals—empowering them to shape the world. Alumni and faculty are Fulbright, MacArthur, and Guggenheim grant recipients, Oscar winners, legendary costume designers, leaders of contemporary art movements, entrepreneurs, and design stars at influential companies including Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, Pixar, DreamWorks, Mattel, Nike, and Netflix. Since 2007, the College has commissioned the Otis College Report on the Creative Economy, an invaluable tool that assesses the tremendous influence and economic impact of the creative sector.
Academics
10
Degree Programs BFA and MFA combined
29%
International Students from 34 countries
3:1
Student to Faculty Ratio by 1100 : 404
3.21
Incoming Student GPA
87%
Students Recieve Scholarships or Financial Aid
Diversity
President of Otis College of Art and Design
1
We do not tolerate racism or any other form of violence or discrimination.
2
We expect all Otis community members to work towards dismantling systems of opression.
3
We recognize the college's historical struggles around equity and the ways those reflect the struggle in US culture and beyond.
4
We recognize diversity as a reality, a responsibility, and a resource.
5
We commin to treating every person's identity with dignity and respect.
6
We commit to practicing institutional responsibility to redress unjust histories.
7
We commit to an ongoing systemic and structural approach in correcting inequities. This work is collective, not indivitual.
8
We commit to hold ourselves and one another accountable to our collective effort to create an inclusive campus.
9
We commit to honesty, vulnerability and openness as we dialogue across differences.
10
We commit to an intersectional and Justice-oriented approach.
Our Student Community
Otis College is a welcoming, accessible, and diverse community. Over 70% of the student body are students of color:
- 39% are Asian
- 21% are Latinx
- 6% are two or more races
- 5.5% are Black/African American
- .2% are American Indian or Alaska Native
- .1% are Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- 30% are first-generation college students.
Clubs and Organizations
- K-Pop Club,
- Gardening Club,
- The Tennis Club,
- Dungeons, Dragons, and Diversity (D3),
- and many more!
The scope and variety of our student-run clubs is proof that there’s something for everyone at Otis.
The Company We Keep
A Few of Our Honorary Degree Recipients Through the Years:- Snapchat Co-Founder and CEO Evan Spiegel
- KORA Organics CEO Miranda Kerr
- Emmy-nominated design expert Bobby Berk
- Artist Enrique Martínez Celaya
- Artist Lauren Halsey
- Artist Mark Bradford
- Artist John Baldessari
- Artist David Hockney
- Architect Frank Gehry
Through their Spiegel Family Fund, Honorary Degree recipients Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr gifted the Class of 2022 with a donation to Otis that enables graduates to repay their outstanding student loan debt, capping off a momentous academic year at the College.
Ranked
No.2
Ranked
No.6
Top
1%
1,100
Students
87%
Students
404
Faculty
36%
Students
26%
International Students
86%
Class of 2016
Incoming Student Profile
| South Korea | 23 |
| China | 20 |
| Taiwan | 6 |
| India | 6 |
| Russia | 2 |
| Canada | 2 |
| Belgium | 2 |
| California | 288 |
| New York | 14 |
| Washington | 10 |
| Pennysylvania | 7 |
| Oregon | 7 |