Five Towns College vs. PAFA

Comparable Facts

Compare Five Towns College in Dix Hills, NY with Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Five Towns College is larger than PAFA based on total student enrollment (974 students vs. 41 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Five Towns College is located in Dix Hills, NY (Large Suburban setting); Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Five Towns College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Five Towns College 11:1; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2:1.

Five Towns College vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Five Towns College or PAFA? 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 Five Towns College than PAFA ($24,724 vs. $33,323).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Five Towns College are 19.6% lower than at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($15,000 vs. $18,662).
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is 47.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Five Towns College (about $14,350 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $30,250.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 47.4% higher at PAFA than at Five Towns College (about $14,350 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $30,250.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Five Towns College as at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students is 36.3% larger than aid received by Five Towns College students ($24,785 vs. $18,184).

Five Towns College vs. PAFA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Five Towns College or PAFA? 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 PAFA and Five Towns College.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Five Towns College - Test-free; PAFA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: PAFA Feb 1, 2027.

Five Towns College vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Five Towns College and PAFA? 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).

• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts's six-year graduation rate (73%) is higher than Five Towns College's (31%).
• Graduates from Five Towns College earn a median of about $17,100 more per year than PAFA graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,100 vs. $22,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Five Towns College graduates ($26,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, PAFA graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Five Towns College graduates ($274 vs. $279).
• More PAFA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Five Towns College students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 50%)

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.