OC vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

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

Olympic College is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (5,784 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Olympic College is located in Bremerton, WA (Small City setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Olympic College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Northwest College of Art & Design is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Olympic College 17:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

OC vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OC 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 Olympic College than NCA ($8,157 vs. $14,818).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Olympic College are 31.7% lower than at Northwest College of Art & Design ($10,500 vs. $15,384).
• Northwest College of Art & Design is 331.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than OC (about $13,903 more per year; $18,100.00 vs. $4,197.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 85.8% higher at NCA than at Olympic College (about $8,360 more per year; $18,100.00 vs. $9,740.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwest College of Art & Design than at Olympic College (87% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students is 105.6% larger than aid received by Olympic College students ($14,406 vs. $7,007).

OC vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, OC 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 OC.

• Olympic College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: OC - Open admission; NCA - Test-free.

OC vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for OC 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).

• Graduates from Olympic College earn a median of about $6,200 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,800 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Olympic College graduates have a $19,000 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($12,000 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, OC graduates have an estimated $196 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($124 vs. $320).
• More NCA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OC students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 39%)

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.