LIM vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

Compare LIM College in New York, NY with Northwest College of Art & Design in Tacoma, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

LIM College is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (1,467 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• LIM College is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• LIM College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. Northwest College of Art & Design is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: LIM College 20:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

LIM vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LIM 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 LIM ($14,818 vs. $40,305).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest College of Art & Design are 24.5% lower than at LIM College ($15,384 vs. $20,370).
• LIM College is 85.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than NCA (about $15,404 more per year; $33,504.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 85.1% higher at LIM than at Northwest College of Art & Design (about $15,404 more per year; $33,504.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at LIM College than at Northwest College of Art & Design (100% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students is 11.4% larger than aid received by LIM College students ($14,406 vs. $12,935).

LIM vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LIM 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 LIM.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: LIM College 960/1138.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: LIM College 19/25.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: LIM - Test optional; NCA - Test-free.
• LIM has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than NCA (66%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.3% at LIM vs. 40.6% at NCA.

LIM vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LIM 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 LIM College's (49%).
• Graduates from LIM College earn a median of about $20,800 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,400 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, LIM College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($26,000 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, LIM graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($268 vs. $320).
• More LIM 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.