PAFA vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA with Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is larger than PAFA based on total student enrollment (414 students vs. 41 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is located in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 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: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2:1; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design 10:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design are 7.7% lower than at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($17,230 vs. $18,662).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.7% higher at PAFA than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $12,450 more per year; $44,600 vs. $32,150).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students is 65.4% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students ($24,785 vs. $14,989).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both PAFA and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
• Typical fall application deadline: PAFA Feb 1, 2027.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($26,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, PAFA graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates ($274 vs. $279).
• More PAFA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation (63% vs. 58%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.