Colby-Sawyer vs. PAFA

Comparable Facts

Compare Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH with Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Colby Sawyer College is larger than PAFA based on total student enrollment (972 students vs. 41 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Colby Sawyer College is located in New London, NH (Distant Rural setting); Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Colby Sawyer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Colby Sawyer College 10:1; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2:1.

Colby-Sawyer vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby-Sawyer or PAFA? 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 Colby Sawyer College than PAFA ($27,496 vs. $33,323).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby Sawyer College are 7% lower than at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($17,364 vs. $18,662).
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is 133.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colby-Sawyer (about $25,475 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 133.2% higher at PAFA than at Colby Sawyer College (about $25,475 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Colby Sawyer College as at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students is 123.3% larger than aid received by Colby Sawyer College students ($24,785 vs. $11,098).

Colby-Sawyer vs. PAFA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colby-Sawyer or PAFA? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between PAFA and Colby-Sawyer.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Colby-Sawyer - Test-free; PAFA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: PAFA Feb 1, 2027.

Colby-Sawyer vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Colby-Sawyer and PAFA? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts's six-year graduation rate (73%) is higher than Colby Sawyer College's (54%).
• Graduates from Colby Sawyer College earn a median of about $22,900 more per year than PAFA graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,900 vs. $22,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Colby-Sawyer graduates ($26,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, PAFA graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Colby-Sawyer graduates ($274 vs. $279).
• More Colby-Sawyer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PAFA students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 63%)

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.