NEC vs. PAFA

Comparable Facts

Compare New England College in Henniker, NH with Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

New England College is larger than PAFA based on total student enrollment (3,275 students vs. 41 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• New England College is located in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting); Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: New England College 8:1; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2:1.

NEC vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NEC or PAFA? 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 New England College than PAFA ($27,398 vs. $33,323).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New England College are 6.1% lower than at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($17,526 vs. $18,662).
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is 6.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than NEC (about $2,662 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.3% higher at PAFA than at New England College (about $2,662 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than at New England College (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 29.5% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students ($32,095 vs. $24,785).

NEC vs. PAFA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NEC or PAFA? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between PAFA and NEC.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NEC - Test-free; PAFA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: PAFA Feb 1, 2027.

NEC vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NEC and PAFA? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts's six-year graduation rate (73%) is higher than New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from New England College earn a median of about $17,400 more per year than PAFA graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,400 vs. $22,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than NEC graduates ($26,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, PAFA graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NEC graduates ($274 vs. $279).
• More PAFA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NEC students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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.