WPI vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA with Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (7,584 students vs. 414 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute is located in Worcester, MA (Midsize City setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute 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: Worcester Polytechnic Institute 13:1; 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 6.3% lower than at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($17,230 vs. $18,386).
• Out-of-state tuition is 89.6% higher at WPI than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $28,815 more per year; $60,965 vs. $32,150).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute as at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 110.5% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students ($31,545 vs. $14,989).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both WPI and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.
• Typical fall application deadline: WPI Feb 15, 2027.
• Enrolled first-year students at WPI average a 3.9 high school GPA, 0.77 higher than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (3.13).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.1% at WPI vs. 32.5% at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and WPI graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and WPI graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation (92% vs. 58%).

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