Art Center College of Design vs. Pacific Northwest College of Art

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Art Center College of Design is larger than Pacific Northwest College of Art based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 466 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); Pacific Northwest College of Art is in Portland, OR (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; Pacific Northwest College of Art 9:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. Pacific Northwest College of Art Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or Pacific Northwest College of Art? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pacific Northwest College of Art than Art Center College of Design ($39,710 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Center College of Design are 0.6% lower than at Pacific Northwest College of Art ($19,632 vs. $19,760).
• Art Center College of Design is 10.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pacific Northwest College of Art (about $5,164 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $49,006.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.5% higher at Art Center College of Design than at Pacific Northwest College of Art (about $5,164 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $49,006.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pacific Northwest College of Art than at Art Center College of Design (100% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Northwest College of Art students is 36.8% larger than aid received by Art Center College of Design students ($30,666 vs. $22,412).

Art Center College of Design vs. Pacific Northwest College of Art Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or Pacific Northwest College of Art? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Pacific Northwest College of Art and Art Center College of Design.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; Pacific Northwest College of Art - Test-free.
• Pacific Northwest College of Art has a higher acceptance rate (74.8%) than Art Center College of Design (74.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 28.1% at Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Art Center College of Design vs. Pacific Northwest College of Art Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and Pacific Northwest College of Art? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Art Center College of Design's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than Pacific Northwest College of Art's (42%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $28,400 more per year than Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $29,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates have a $3,269 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($27,981 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($289 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pacific Northwest College of Art students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 50%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.