Menlo vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare Menlo College in Atherton, CA with Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Menlo College is larger than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (810 students vs. 414 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Menlo College is located in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Menlo College 14:1; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design 10:1.

Menlo vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Menlo or Pennsylvania College of Art and Design? 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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design than Menlo ($28,826 vs. $32,563).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design are 5.5% lower than at Menlo College ($17,230 vs. $18,236).
• Menlo College is 66.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $21,480 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $32,150.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 66.8% higher at Menlo than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $21,480 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $32,150.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College as at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 161.4% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students ($39,174 vs. $14,989).

Menlo vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Menlo or Pennsylvania College of Art and Design? 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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and Menlo.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Menlo - Test-free; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Menlo Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Menlo students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (3.13).
• Pennsylvania College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Menlo (68.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.3% at Menlo vs. 32.5% at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Menlo vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Menlo and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design? 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).

• Pennsylvania College of Art and Design's six-year graduation rate (52%) is higher than Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Menlo College earn a median of about $25,200 more per year than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,900 vs. $28,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Menlo College graduates have a $5,938 lower median loan debt than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($21,062 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Menlo graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($217 vs. $279).
• More Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 55%)

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.