Cornish College of the Arts vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

Compare Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA with Northwest College of Art & Design in Tacoma, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cornish College of the Arts is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (505 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cornish College of the Arts is located in Seattle, WA (Large City setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cornish College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Northwest College of Art & Design is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cornish College of the Arts 6:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

Cornish College of the Arts vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornish College of the Arts or NCA? 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 Northwest College of Art & Design than Cornish College of the Arts ($14,818 vs. $41,758).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest College of Art & Design are 4% lower than at Cornish College of the Arts ($15,384 vs. $16,030).
• Cornish College of the Arts is 130.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than NCA (about $23,584 more per year; $41,684.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 130.3% higher at Cornish College of the Arts than at Northwest College of Art & Design (about $23,584 more per year; $41,684.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cornish College of the Arts than at Northwest College of Art & Design (100% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cornish College of the Arts students is 28.5% larger than aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students ($18,515 vs. $14,406).

Cornish College of the Arts vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cornish College of the Arts or NCA? 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 NCA and Cornish College of the Arts.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cornish College of the Arts - Test-free; NCA - Test-free.
• NCA has a higher acceptance rate (66%) than Cornish College of the Arts (62.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.3% at Cornish College of the Arts vs. 40.6% at NCA.

Cornish College of the Arts vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cornish College of the Arts and NCA? 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).

• Northwest College of Art & Design's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than Cornish College of the Arts's (45%).
• Graduates from Cornish College of the Arts earn a median of about $2,100 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cornish College of the Arts graduates have a $4,000 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($27,000 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, Cornish College of the Arts graduates have an estimated $41 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($279 vs. $320).
• More Cornish College of the Arts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCA students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

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.