What Minneapolis College does

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) is a private, nonprofit four-year and postgraduate college headquartered at 2501 Stevens Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1866, the institution specializes in visual arts education and serves a student body of more than 800 learners drawn from 46 US states, the District of Columbia, and 19 countries. MCAD delivers instruction across more than 10 undergraduate majors, including Animation, Comic Art, Creative Writing, Creative Entrepreneurship, Fine Arts (with Drawing and Painting, Print/Paper/Book, and Sculpture and Expanded Media concentrations), Graphic Design, Media Arts (Art and Technology, Filmmaking, Photography), Illustration, and Product and Furniture Design, alongside graduate programs (MFA in Visual Studies; MA in Creative Leadership, Graphic and Web Design, and Sustainable Design) and professional certificates in Biomimicry, Graphic Design, Illustration, UX Design, and Web Development. Continuing education, pre-college, and youth programs extend reach into lifelong learning segments, while study abroad partnerships in Italy, Ireland, Germany, England, Austria, Japan, Singapore, and the Netherlands provide international studio semesters at MCAD tuition rates.

The underlying technology and facilities stack centers on specialized art production infrastructure: a Digital Print Lab equipped with 4 Epson SureColor p7570 printers, 2 SureColor p5000 units, an Epson Stylus Pro 7900, and 2 Hasselblad Flextight 848 scanners; a Service Bureau offering ImagePress, Risograph, and large-format printing; dedicated animation rendering servers for media arts; and a 3-D Shop, Papermaking Studio, and Media Center. Academic operations run on Canvas as the primary LMS with Blackboard retained as a legacy system, while OneLogin provides SSO with MFA, PaperCut manages print quotas and billing, Print Deploy handles printer provisioning, Handshake supports career services, and Paylocity administers HR and payroll. Curriculum delivery is supported by Adobe Creative Cloud and complementary studio equipment. Member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), MCAD participates in cross-institutional exchange and the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP).

MCAD's revenue model is structured as a tuition-anchored nonprofit institution. Primary revenue derives from undergraduate and graduate tuition and fees on an annual subscription cadence, with more than 97% of students receiving some form of financial aid. Supplementary streams include continuing education courses, on-campus student housing, philanthropic donations and grants (President's Circle, legacy giving, scholarships), and transaction-based campus services including the Art Cellar retail store and dining. Pricing is not publicly disclosed in dollar terms, though study abroad components are itemized (for example, Florence at approximately $1,100 airfare with free housing; Germany at approximately $1,200 airfare plus $300 to $400 monthly housing). The go-to-market motion is sales-led through direct admissions, transfer pathways, military and veteran admissions, international student recruitment, and a pre-college pipeline, supported by digital channels (mcad.edu, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), Visiting Artist Lectures, portfolio days, and an annual MCAD Art Sale fundraising event. Employer relationships with Shipt, Minnesota Children's Museum, and Nordic Ware operate as internship pipelines rather than revenue customers.

Name

Minneapolis College

Legal name

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Website

https://mcad.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) is a private nonprofit art and design college in Minneapolis offering BFA, MFA, and MA programs plus certificates and continuing education. It serves more than 800 students across 10 undergraduate majors with international study abroad partnerships in nine countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition. Students pay tuition per credit or semester, with financial aid available. More than 97% of students receive some form of financial aid.
2. Continuing Education: Adult classes, summer youth programs, teen pre-college courses, and professional development workshops generate additional revenue.
3. Student Housing: On-campus housing revenue from student dormitories and living spaces.
4. Donations and Grants: Philanthropic contributions through President's Circle, legacy giving, and student scholarships. Development office manages fundraising initiatives.
5. Campus Services: Revenue from Art Cellar retail, dining services, and campus facility usage fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Minneapolis College of Art and Design is a private nonprofit higher education institution that delivers Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), and Master of Arts (MA) degree programs in visual arts disciplines such as animation, graphic design, illustration, media arts, product and furniture design, creative leadership, and sustainable design. The college supplements its degree portfolio with professional certificates, continuing education classes, pre-college summer sessions, and study-abroad exchanges.

Product overview

Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in art, design, and creative disciplines. The institution provides BFA majors in Animation, Comic Art, Creative Entrepreneurship, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Media Arts (with concentrations in Art and Technology, Filmmaking, and Photography), and Product and Furniture Design, alongside graduate programs including MFA in Visual Studies and MA degrees in Creative Leadership, Graphic and Web Design, and Sustainable Design. The institution supplements its degree programs with Continuing Education offerings (adult classes, youth programs, pre-college programs), professional certificates (Biomimicry, Graphic Design, Illustration, UX Design, Web Development), and international exchange opportunities through partnerships with institutions in Europe, Asia, and North America. Student support infrastructure includes academic advising, career development via Handshake, counseling services, technology support, and specialized campus facilities including Digital Print Lab, 3-D fabrication shops, and studio spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Majors (BFA Programs)

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 97% of MCAD students receive some kind of financial aid

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Accademia di Belle Arti di FirenzecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorence, Italy partner institution for study abroad. Students complete independent studio projects related to Italian culture with one class at Accademia. Includes three-week intensive Italian-language course. Students earn 15 credits total (12 from independent studio, 3 from Accademia course).
• Burren College of ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBallyvaughan, County Clare, Ireland partner. Ecology-oriented program centered on studio practice where students are assigned their own 24/7 studio. Available for Drawing and Painting, Photography, and Sculpture majors. 3 liberal arts credits earned.
• Bauhaus-Universität WeimarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeimar, Germany partner. Theme-based curriculum with frequent guest lectures and three-week intensive German-language course. Located in birthplace of Bauhaus movement, approximately one hour from Berlin.
• University of BrightoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrighton, England partner. Seaside location one hour from London. Independent and project-oriented studio classes with emphasis on experimentation. Available for Illustration and Graphic Design majors.
• AICAD (Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership consortium of leading art colleges. Includes AICAD Exchange program for student mobility between member institutions. MCAD participates in Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) with other AICAD peers.
• International Exchange PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdditional exchange programs including Austria, Japan, Singapore, and The Netherlands. Students can study at partner institutions while paying MCAD tuition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rhode Island School of Design: Private nonprofit four-year art and design college and AICAD co-member with MCAD. Offers BFA/graduate degrees across fine arts, graphic design, illustration, architecture, and film/animation/video, serving a similarly specialized creative-student population.
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Private nonprofit art and design college and AICAD member offering BFA/MFA programs across fine arts, design, and media arts. Closest direct peer to MCAD in mission, program mix, and target student.
• Pratt Institute: Private nonprofit art, design, and architecture college with undergraduate and graduate programs in graphic design, illustration, industrial design, and fine arts. Directly comparable institutional model to MCAD.
• Parsons School of Design: The New School's art and design school offering BFA/MFA programs in graphic design, fashion, photography, illustration, and product design. Direct peer with broader scale but overlapping curriculum and student profile.
• Savannah College of Art and Design: Private nonprofit art and design college offering BFA/MFA degrees across design, fine arts, and media arts with multiple US and international locations. Direct peer in mission and program mix; significantly larger in scale.
• Maryland Institute College of Art: Private nonprofit art and design college in Baltimore and AICAD member, offering BFA/MFA/MA programs in graphic design, illustration, photography, and fine arts. Closely comparable in size, mission, and program scope.
• California Institute of the Arts: Private nonprofit art, design, film, and performing arts institution offering BFA/MFA programs in animation, film/video, graphic design, and fine arts. Direct peer with overlapping creative-program focus.
• Otis College of Art and Design: Private nonprofit art and design college in Los Angeles offering BFA/MFA programs in graphic design, product design, digital media, and fine arts. Closely comparable in size and mission to MCAD.
• Ringling College of Art and Design: Private nonprofit art and design college offering BFA degrees in animation, graphic design, illustration, film, and game design. Comparable mission and program profile, though with a stronger motion/animation emphasis.
• Cranbrook Academy of Art: Private graduate-only art and design academy offering MFA programs in architecture, design, fine arts, and media. Comparable specialized art institution, though graduate-only versus MCAD's undergraduate-plus model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8p-GLtoTtaSZHugjgebIrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/53327920220
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minneapolis-college-of-art-and-design
• Instagraminstagram.com/mcadedu
• Xx.com/mcad

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minneapolis College