PAFA vs. NSU

Should I go to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts or Norfolk State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PAFA or NSU 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
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts vs. Norfolk State University comparison
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Norfolk State University College 3 College 4
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Norfolk State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

PAFA NSU
Location Philadelphia, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 172 5,783
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pafa.org nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PAFA NSU
Tuition (In State) $40,500 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $40,500 $16,920
Room & Board $17,512 $10,844
Avg Net Price $48,191 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $16,087 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 91%

Admission

PAFA NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 183 8,884
Admitted 167 7,951
Acceptance Rate 91.3% 89.5%
Enrolled % 11.4% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA - 2.9
Typical High School Grades - B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 840/1040
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024 May 31, 2024

Academics

PAFA NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

PAFA NSU
Graduation Rate 73% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $22,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,500 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $274 $320

Diversity

PAFA NSU
% Men 31% 33%
% Women 69% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 61% 5%
% Black 5% 84%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

PAFA NSU
% In-State 53% 65%
% Out-of-State 42% 31%

Campus

PAFA NSU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than PAFA based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 172 students)

PAFA vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PAFA or NSU?

  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is 604.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($40,500.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 139.4% higher at PAFA than Norfolk State University ($40,500.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than PAFA ($14,652 vs. $48,191)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 61.5% lower than costs at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ($10,844 vs. $17,512)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (91% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students is 32.3% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($16,087 vs. $12,164)

PAFA vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • PAFA has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than NSU (89.5%)

PAFA vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PAFA or NSU? 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 NSU and PAFA.

  • The graduation rate at PAFA is higher than Norfolk State University (73% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Norfolk State University earn on average $14,700 more per year than PAFA graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $22,000)
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($26,500 vs. $31,000)
  • PAFA graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($274 vs. $320)
  • More PAFA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 27%)

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