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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

It is our commitment to keep our leadership accountable as we work toward our goal of a greater sense of belonging. The Otis Community has a deep commitment to shared governance as we work across all constituent groups, fostering a more collaborative spirit among committees, staff, faculty, students, alumnx, and academic leadership. Charles Hirschhorn,
President of Otis College of Art and Design
Students at Otis
 

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.
Arial Shot of Otis College Campus
Students on Club day

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

in the College Magazine for aspiring fashion designers

Ranked

No.6

by The Economist

Top

1%

in diversity by "The Chronicle of Higher Education"

1,100

Students

including BFA and MFA students

87%

Students

of degree students recieve scholarships and financial aid

404

Faculty

number of full and part-time faculty.

36%

Students

of students are from outside California, representing 38 states.

26%

International Students

are international students, representing 34 countries.

86%

Class of 2016

of the class of 2020 are employed or in graduate school within one year out.

Incoming Student Profile

Top 7 Countries of Origin (2022)
South Korea 23
China 20
Taiwan 6
India 6
Russia 2
Canada 2
Belgium 2
Top 5 States of Origin (2022)
California 288
New York 14
Washington 10
Pennysylvania 7
Oregon 7