Pacific Northwest College of Art

Portland, OR · WestQuad's selectivityAccessible

Known forMost who leave go on to another college

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

7 in 10 applicants admitted

Pacific Northwest College of Art admits about 7 in 10 applicants (75%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 55% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

75%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

485

Admitted

363

Yield

28%

of admits enroll

Applications +104% since fall 2014 · admit rate 82% → 75%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 420 undergrads, where 41% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

420

undergrads · larger than 18% of colleges

Diversity index

0.61

Pell Grant

41%

above the median

First generation

18%

below the median

Large cityNCAA D-III · Northwest ConferenceROTCStudy abroad

More diverse · index 0.47 → 0.61 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Illustration (36% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 19% of faculty are full-time. Spends $16,928 a year on instruction per student.

9 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 84% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $39,710 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $15.4K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $39,710 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $70,376.

44%

$39.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $15.4K above the national median

Full price: $70,376 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid: 31% · avg $22K; of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)

Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 44% of full price

Federal loans

52%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost falling · −9% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $34,883 ten years after enrolling, more than at 7% of colleges; 43% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 4.6 years of that salary.

43%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$34.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25K

≈ $265/month for 10 years

Retention

69%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 29% → 29% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 11% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 9%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 104% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 82% to 75%.

Cost
Falling
−9% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+104%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 82% → 75%
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.47 → 0.61

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Louisiana Christian University

77% admit · 672 undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso private

Compare side-by-side

Stephens College

77% admit · 391 undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso private

Compare side-by-side

Hollins University

68% admit · SAT 1245 · 665 undergrads

Similar sizeAlso private

Compare side-by-side

Saint Anthony College of Nursing

172 undergrads

Similar sizeAlso private

Compare side-by-side

Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
Pacific Northwest College of Art (2026)
Pacific Northwest College of Art · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 209603 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything