More selective than 0% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $43,815. College Scorecard.
Higher than 67% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 76% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 0% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 4% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design acceptance rate & admissions
Of 677 applicants, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design admitted 311 and 95 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What Pennsylvania College of Art and Design costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Pennsylvania College of Art and Design took 4.0 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $24,547 | $98,188 | no earnings gain |
| $30–48k | $24,115 | $96,460 | no earnings gain |
| $48–75k | $26,576 | $106,304 | no earnings gain |
| $75–110k | $30,876 | $123,504 | no earnings gain |
| $110k+ | $37,851 | $151,404 | no earnings gain |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.0 years, the average time graduates took (64% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($33,301) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design majors, earnings & careers
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design offers 3 bachelor's majors across 1 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Arts & Design · 3
Highest-earning majors at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $38,275 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 3 majors
- Film and Photography—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$38,275
- Studio Art—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design → Graphic designer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 1.7% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Lancaster
Overall prices in the Lancaster, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,553. Housing costs 6% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 44 inches of rain a year, 21 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Lancaster County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lancaster County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Pennsylvania College of Art and Design with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | 99% | $30,083 | 69% | $33,301 | This school |
| Westminster College | 93% | $19,859 | 65% | $53,861 | |
| Waynesburg University | 90% | $18,235 | 66% | $58,537 | |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 83% | $20,586 | 68% | $40,457 | |
| Ursinus College | 92% | $30,536 | 73% | $73,721 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design would cost you $10,224 more per year than Westminster College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$8,140).
- Westminster College gives aided families $19,412 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | Westminster College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $32,150 | $40,290 | −$8,140 |
| Books & supplies | $1,650 | $1,000 | +$650 |
| Housing & meals | $12,535 | $12,380 | +$155 |
| Personal & travel | $1,200 | $1,250 | −$50 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,720 | −$1,917 | −$1,803 |
| Sticker price | $43,815 | $53,003 | −$9,188 |
| Average grants | −$13,732 | −$33,144 | +$19,412 |
| You pay | $30,083 | $19,859 | +$10,224 |
“+” means Pennsylvania College of Art and Design costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
What is the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design acceptance rate?
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design accepts 99% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 311 of 677 applicants were admitted.
How much does Pennsylvania College of Art and Design cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $43,815 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $30,083 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $24,547 and families earning $110k+ pay $37,851.
How much do Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates earn?
Former Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students earn a median $33,301 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduation rate?
69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year.
Is Pennsylvania College of Art and Design the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Pennsylvania College of Art and Design: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-college-of-art-and-design (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).