Paier College vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

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

Paier College is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (203 students vs. 139 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Paier College vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paier College or NCA? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest College of Art & Design are 14.5% lower than at Paier College ($15,384 vs. $18,000).
• Paier College is 31.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than NCA (about $5,660 more per year; $23,760.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.3% higher at Paier College than at Northwest College of Art & Design (about $5,660 more per year; $23,760.00 vs. $18,100.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwest College of Art & Design than at Paier College (87% vs. 0%).

Paier College vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Paier College or NCA? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between NCA and Paier College.

• Paier College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Paier College - Open admission; NCA - Test-free.

Paier College vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Paier College and NCA? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Northwest College of Art & Design's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than Paier College's (56%).
• Graduates from Paier College earn a median of about $4,600 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,200 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Paier College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($26,000 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, Paier College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($268 vs. $320).
• More Paier College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCA students, three years after graduation. (59% 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.