PAFA vs. College Unbound

Comparable Facts

Compare Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA with College Unbound in Providence, Rhode Island on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College Unbound is larger than PAFA based on total student enrollment (494 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); College Unbound is in Providence, Rhode Island (Midsize City setting).
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. College Unbound is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2:1; College Unbound 11:1.

PAFA vs. College Unbound Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PAFA or College Unbound? 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 College Unbound than PAFA ($20,645 vs. $33,323).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College Unbound are 13.2% lower than at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($16,200 vs. $18,662).
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is 304.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than College Unbound (about $33,584 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $11,016.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 304.9% higher at PAFA than at College Unbound (about $33,584 more per year; $44,600.00 vs. $11,016.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than at College Unbound (100% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students is 281.7% larger than aid received by College Unbound students ($24,785 vs. $6,493).

PAFA vs. College Unbound Admissions comparison

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

• College Unbound reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: PAFA - Test-free; College Unbound - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: PAFA Feb 1, 2027.

PAFA vs. College Unbound Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for PAFA and College Unbound? 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).

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.