FIT vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, NY with Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Fashion Institute of Technology is larger than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (8,206 students vs. 414 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Fashion Institute of Technology is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Fashion Institute of Technology is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Fashion Institute of Technology 16:1; 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 32.3% lower than at Fashion Institute of Technology ($17,230 vs. $25,458).
• Out-of-state tuition is 90.5% higher at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design than at Fashion Institute of Technology (about $15,276 more per year; $32,150 vs. $16,874).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design than at Fashion Institute of Technology (100% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students is 80.5% larger than aid received by Fashion Institute of Technology students ($14,989 vs. $8,304).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both FIT and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
• Typical fall application deadline: FIT Jan 1, 2027.
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 55.8% at FIT vs. 32.5% at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Fashion Institute of Technology graduates have a $7,500 lower median loan debt than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($19,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, FIT graduates have an estimated $78 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($201 vs. $279).
• More FIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation (70% vs. 58%).

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