The Art Institute of Dallas is located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, which has one of the lowest cost-of-living indexes of any major metropolitan area. This metropolis offers diverse cultural and recreational activities, including the Dallas Symphony, Mesquite Rodeo, Six Flags, Lone Star Park, concerts in the West End, and national sports teams. Many major employers have relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth area due to its positive economic environment.

Facilities in the school include labs offering PC and Macintosh computers for student use. The library supports the student community's information and imaging needs and has a collection of more than 20,000 books, 4,000 periodical titles in both print and full-text electronic versions, 1,450 videotapes, 12,500 photographic slides, and 11,000 Visual Reference Cards. In addition, it provides reference services and instruction in the use of library services and facilities, electronic database searching, and research techniques.

The Academic Improvement Center provides tutoring services in the areas of general study skills, mathematics, writing, reading, and basic computer application skills. The center is open Monday through Friday and provides academic testing (ASSET, Learning Styles Assessment) on a weekly basis.