Dean College vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

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

Dean College is larger than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (1,092 students vs. 414 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Dean College is located in Franklin, MA (Large Suburban setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Dean College 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: Dean College 15:1; 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 13.3% lower than at Dean College ($17,230 vs. $19,864).
• Out-of-state tuition is 44.7% higher at Dean College than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $14,376 more per year; $46,526 vs. $32,150).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Dean College as at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Dean College students is 119.9% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students ($32,958 vs. $14,989).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Dean College and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
• Typical fall application deadline: Dean College Sep 1, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design average a 3.13 high school GPA, 0.25 higher than at Dean College (2.88).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.7% at Dean College vs. 32.5% at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Dean College graduates have a $10,647 lower median loan debt than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($16,353 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Dean College graduates have an estimated $110 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($169 vs. $279).
• More Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dean College students, three years after graduation (58% vs. 53%).

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