Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque
- The Art Center Design College strives to be an exemplary force in higher education by providing a setting that prepares both national and international students interested in pursuing a future in the visual/communication arts to attain Bachelor's and Associate of Arts degrees and to meet the competitive challenges of an evolving global environment.
School Highlights
- Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque serves 202 students (66% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 13:1 is lower than the state community college average of 30:1.
- Minority enrollment is 60% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 65%.
- Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque is one of 4 community colleges within Bernalillo County, NM.
- The nearest community college to Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque is Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque (1.2 miles away).
Top Placements
Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque places among the top 20% of community colleges in New Mexico for:
- Category Attribute
- School Resources Percent of students receiving financial aid
School Overview
- The teacher population of 16 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque | (NM) Community College Avg. | |
| Institution Level | Four or more years | At least 2 yrs but < 4 yrs |
| Institution Control | Private, for profit | Public |
| Total Faculty | 16 staff | 72 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 202 students | 1,793 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 13:1 | 30:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 133 students | 604 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 69 students | 1,189 students |
 |  | |
| % American Indian/Alaskan | 11% | 10% |
| % Asian | - | 2% |
| % Hispanic | 46% | 44% |
| % Black | 3% | 2% |
| % White | 40% | 35% |
| % Two or more races | - | 1% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.62 | 0.67 |
 | ||
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $30,900 | $34,400 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS
School Notes
- President, Sharmon R. Woods and Vice President, Marvin R. Woods founded The Art Center Design College in 1983 in Tucson, AZ. The college sprung from the Woods' graphics firm that frequently hired both full-time and freelance artists. Finding talented artists grounded in a thorough knowledge of production, illustration and effective design became the challenge. The College has continued to expand with the addition of baccalaureate degrees in Interior Design and Animation Graphics in the late 1990's and Fine Arts in 2003. In 1989, the Albuquerque, NM campus was opened to meet the market's demand for well-trained graphic designers and illustrators. The college offers Art and Design programs of varying length leading to baccalaureate degrees, Associate degrees and professional certificates, general education program, continuing program, program of technology, library, media, and student services, special instructional classes and tutorial labs and a program that specifically supports employers in their search for qualified Art and Design professionals. The Art Center Design College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a Member of the North Central Association.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to Southwest University of Visual Arts-Albuquerque is Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque (1.2 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- Pima Medical Institute-AlbuquerquePrivate, for profit892 students | 1.20 Mi4400 Cutler Avenue NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
(505)881-1234 1.20892 - 26,771 students | 2.20 Mi525 Buena Vista SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505)224-3000 2.2026,771 - Brookline College-AlbuquerquePrivate, for profit357 students | 5.60 Mi4201 Central Ave NW-Ste J
Albuquerque, NM 87105
(505)880-2877 5.60357 - 2,321 students | 25.70 Mi280 La Entrada
Los Lunas, NM 87031
(505)925-8500 25.702,321 - Southwestern College (Santa Fe)Private, non-profit162 students | 48.40 Mi3960 San Felipe
Santa Fe, NM 87507
(505)467-6821 48.40162
Recent Articles
We look at why millions of Americans are choosing community college over a traditional four-year school today.
Many students enroll in community college with the intent of transferring to a four-year school. Of those who do, many succeed, and yet traditional colleges and universities continue to overlook them. Read on to learn more about why more community college students don’t transfer schools and to receive some tips for making the transfer yourself.
Community college is the only option for many students who either can’t afford a traditional four-year university or who need a more flexible school environment. Just because community college is different, however, doesn’t mean that its students matter any less. The Aspen Prize exists to encourage community colleges to do more for their students and to continually strive for improvement.
