Hampshire College vs. PAFA

Should I go to Hampshire College or Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Hampshire College or PAFA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Hampshire College vs. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts comparison
Hampshire College Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts College 3 College 4
Hampshire College Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
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Overview

Hampshire College PAFA
Location Amherst, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 717 141
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hampshire.edu pafa.org
Team Colors                    

Costs

Hampshire College PAFA
Tuition (In State) $54,892 $43,000
Tuition (Out of State) $54,892 $43,000
Room & Board $15,154 $18,662
Avg Net Price $27,556 $45,518
Avg Grant Aid $43,944 $18,987
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Hampshire College PAFA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,216 192
Admitted 1,559 168
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 87.5%
Enrolled % 16.6% 10.7%
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Hampshire College PAFA
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

Hampshire College PAFA
Graduation Rate 61% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $22,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,531 $26,500
Median Loan Payment $243 $274

Diversity

Hampshire College PAFA
% Men 0% 10%
% Women 0% 20%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 61%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 5% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

Hampshire College PAFA
% In-State 27% 72%
% Out-of-State 68% 17%

Campus

Hampshire College PAFA
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Hampshire College is larger than than PAFA based on total student enrollment (717 students vs. 141 students)

Hampshire College vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hampshire College or PAFA?

  • Hampshire College is 27.7% more expensive to attend than PAFA for in-state tuition ($54,892.00 vs. $43,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.7% higher at Hampshire College than Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($54,892.00 vs. $43,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hampshire College than PAFA ($27,556 vs. $45,518)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hampshire College are 23.1% lower than costs at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($15,154 vs. $18,662)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Hampshire College as Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hampshire College students is 131.4% larger than aid received Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($43,944 vs. $18,987)

Hampshire College vs. PAFA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hampshire College or PAFA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PAFA or Hampshire College .

  • PAFA has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Hampshire College (70.4%)

Hampshire College vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hampshire College or PAFA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between PAFA and Hampshire College.

  • The graduation rate at PAFA is higher than Hampshire College (73% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Hampshire College earn on average $15,100 more per year than PAFA graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $22,000)
  • Hampshire College students graduate with a $2,969 lower median federal student loan debt than PAFA graduates. ($23,531 vs. $26,500)
  • Hampshire College graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than PAFA graduates. ($243 vs. $274)
  • More Hampshire College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PAFA students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/