Pacific Northwest College of Art vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

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

Pacific Northwest College of Art is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (466 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Pacific Northwest College of Art is located in Portland, OR (Large City setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Northwest College of Art & Design is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Pacific Northwest College of Art 9:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

Pacific Northwest College of Art vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pacific Northwest College of Art 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 Pacific Northwest College of Art ($14,818 vs. $39,710).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest College of Art & Design are 22.1% lower than at Pacific Northwest College of Art ($15,384 vs. $19,760).
• Pacific Northwest College of Art is 170.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than NCA (about $30,906 more per year; $49,006.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 170.8% higher at Pacific Northwest College of Art than at Northwest College of Art & Design (about $30,906 more per year; $49,006.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pacific Northwest College of Art than at Northwest College of Art & Design (100% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pacific Northwest College of Art students is 112.9% larger than aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students ($30,666 vs. $14,406).

Pacific Northwest College of Art vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Pacific Northwest College of Art 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 Pacific Northwest College of Art.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Pacific Northwest College of Art - Test-free; NCA - Test-free.
• Pacific Northwest College of Art has a higher acceptance rate (74.8%) than NCA (66%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.1% at Pacific Northwest College of Art vs. 40.6% at NCA.

Pacific Northwest College of Art vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Pacific Northwest College of Art 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 Pacific Northwest College of Art's (42%).
• Graduates from Pacific Northwest College of Art earn a median of about $300 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,900 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates have a $3,019 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($27,981 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($289 vs. $320).
• More Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCA students, three years after graduation. (50% 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.