EWU vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

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

Eastern Washington University is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (10,492 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Eastern Washington University is located in Cheney, WA (Town Fringe setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Eastern Washington 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 Washington University 18:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

EWU vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EWU 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 Eastern Washington University than NCA ($14,767 vs. $14,818).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest College of Art & Design are 1.2% lower than at Eastern Washington University ($15,384 vs. $15,574).
• Northwest College of Art & Design is 110.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than EWU (about $9,514 more per year; $18,100.00 vs. $8,586.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 43.4% higher at EWU than at Northwest College of Art & Design (about $7,859 more per year; $25,959.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwest College of Art & Design than at Eastern Washington University (87% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students is 44% larger than aid received by Eastern Washington University students ($14,406 vs. $10,001).

EWU vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, EWU 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 EWU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Eastern Washington University 880/1090.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Eastern Washington University 16/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: EWU - Test-free; NCA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: EWU Sep 10, 2026.
• EWU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than NCA (66%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.7% at EWU vs. 40.6% at NCA.

EWU vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for EWU 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 Washington University's (46%).
• Graduates from Eastern Washington University earn a median of about $15,700 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($45,300 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Eastern Washington University graduates have a $10,182 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($20,818 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, EWU graduates have an estimated $105 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($215 vs. $320).
• More EWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCA students, three years after graduation. (60% 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.