Art Center College of Design vs. PAFA

Should I go to Art Center College of Design or Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Art Center College of Design or PAFA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

CalArts Otis College of Art and Design California College of the Arts RISD SCI-Arc UArts SCAD Temple
Art Center College of Design vs. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts comparison
Art Center College of Design Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts College 3 College 4
Art Center College of Design Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Art Center College of Design PAFA
Location Pasadena, CA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 2,420 172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website artcenter.edu pafa.org
Team Colors                    

Costs

Art Center College of Design PAFA
Tuition (In State) $48,942 $40,500
Tuition (Out of State) $48,942 $40,500
Room & Board $14,338 $17,512
Avg Net Price $53,617 $48,191
Avg Grant Aid $16,665 $16,087
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 80%

Admission

Art Center College of Design PAFA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,285 183
Admitted 912 167
Acceptance Rate 71% 91.3%
Enrolled % 31.8% 11.4%
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Art Center College of Design PAFA
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Communications Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (3%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

Art Center College of Design PAFA
Graduation Rate 54% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,300 $22,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $26,500
Median Loan Payment $323 $274

Diversity

Art Center College of Design PAFA
% Men 43% 31%
% Women 57% 69%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 18% 61%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 27% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Art Center College of Design PAFA
% In-State 45% 53%
% Out-of-State 8% 42%

Campus

Art Center College of Design PAFA
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Art Center College of Design is larger than than PAFA based on total student enrollment (2,420 students vs. 172 students)

Art Center College of Design vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or PAFA?

  • Art Center College of Design is 20.8% more expensive to attend than PAFA for in-state tuition ($48,942.00 vs. $40,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.8% higher at Art Center College of Design than Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($48,942.00 vs. $40,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than Art Center College of Design ($48,191 vs. $53,617)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Center College of Design are 22.1% lower than costs at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($14,338 vs. $17,512)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than Art Center College of Design (80% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 3.6% larger than aid received Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($16,665 vs. $16,087)

Art Center College of Design vs. PAFA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or PAFA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PAFA or Art Center College of Design .

  • PAFA has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than Art Center College of Design (71%)

Art Center College of Design vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Art Center College of Design or PAFA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between PAFA and Art Center College of Design.

  • The graduation rate at PAFA is higher than Art Center College of Design (73% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn on average $36,300 more per year than PAFA graduates after ten years. ($58,300 vs. $22,000)
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates. ($26,500 vs. $31,250)
  • PAFA graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Art Center College of Design graduates. ($274 vs. $323)
  • More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PAFA students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/