Berklee School of Music vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA with Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Berklee College of Music is larger than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (8,369 students vs. 414 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Berklee College of Music is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Berklee College of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Berklee College of Music 9:1; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design 10:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design are 13.5% lower than at Berklee College of Music ($17,230 vs. $19,930).
• Out-of-state tuition is 61.9% higher at Berklee School of Music than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $19,890 more per year; $52,040 vs. $32,150).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design than at Berklee College of Music (100% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Berklee College of Music students is 55.8% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students ($23,346 vs. $14,989).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Berklee School of Music and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
• Typical fall application deadline: Berklee School of Music Jan 15, 2027.
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 45.5% at Berklee School of Music vs. 32.5% at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Berklee College of Music graduates have a $1,750 lower median loan debt than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($25,250 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Berklee School of Music graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($261 vs. $279).
• More Berklee School of Music graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation (66% vs. 58%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.