EOU vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

Compare Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, OR with Northwest College of Art & Design in Tacoma, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Eastern Oregon University is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (2,894 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Eastern Oregon University is located in La Grande, OR (Remote Town setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Eastern Oregon University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Northwest College of Art & Design is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Eastern Oregon University 14:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

EOU vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EOU 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 EOU ($14,818 vs. $18,125).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Oregon University are 23.4% lower than at Northwest College of Art & Design ($11,787 vs. $15,384).
• Northwest College of Art & Design is 63.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than EOU (about $7,024 more per year; $18,100.00 vs. $11,076.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 40.5% higher at EOU than at Northwest College of Art & Design (about $7,331 more per year; $25,431.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Eastern Oregon University than at Northwest College of Art & Design (94% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students is 71.4% larger than aid received by Eastern Oregon University students ($14,406 vs. $8,404).

EOU vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, EOU 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 EOU.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: EOU - Test-free; NCA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: EOU Sep 10, 2026.
• EOU has a higher acceptance rate (98.3%) than NCA (66%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.1% at EOU vs. 40.6% at NCA.

EOU vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for EOU 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 Eastern Oregon University's (32%).
• Graduates from Eastern Oregon University earn a median of about $12,600 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Eastern Oregon University graduates have a $8,161 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($22,839 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, EOU graduates have an estimated $84 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($236 vs. $320).
• More EOU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCA students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.