Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Portland, Oregon. It enrolls 420 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
44/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes13
Value1
Affordability39
Selectivity53
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 74.9%, Pacific Northwest College of Art is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
74.9%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Pacific Northwest College of Art is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
20.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Pacific Northwest College of Art isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $35,785 per year. That's above the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$35,785
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
41%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
52%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$49,006
Room & Board (on-campus)
$19,760
Room & Board (off-campus)
$19,760
Books & Supplies
$1,480
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,090
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,090
Total Cost of Attendance
$70,376
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$28,219
$30,001 – $48,000
$30,517
$48,001 – $75,000
$30,916
$75,001 – $110,000
$36,998
Over $110,000
$44,522
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,50010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$30,00075%percentile
$38,35890%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,500
↓ $12,500
No Pell $7,500
↓ $17,500
Dependent students $8,750
↓ $16,250
Independent students $18,235
↓ $6,765
Female students $10,500
↓ $14,500
Male students $11,000
↓ $14,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,800, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
51% of full-time students who enrolled at Pacific Northwest College of Art graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
51%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Pacific Northwest College of Art earn a median of $34,883 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$34,883
Earning > $25K
57%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$30,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$46,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $15,100, about 33% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
26.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 72% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Pacific Northwest College of Art is home to 420 students, an intimate, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
420
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
18%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 59.1%248
Hispanic 17.6%74
Other 10.0%42
Black 4.8%20
Asian 2.6%11
International 1.2%5
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Pacific Northwest College of Art. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityPortland, Oregon
Housing
Partly residential130 beds available
Adult Learners
14%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Pacific Northwest College of Art offers
a focused set of programs:
8 distinct programs across
3 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pacific Northwest College of Art is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$72,639
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
23 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
1
4%
$78,600
Associate Professors
15
65%
$75,393
Assistant Professors
5
22%
$65,840
Instructors
2
9%
$66,000
Pros & Cons of Pacific Northwest College of Art
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Pacific Northwest College of Art tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
High net price compared to most US colleges
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Below-average completion rate
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for:
Based on the data, Pacific Northwest College of Art is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pacific Northwest College of Art
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Is Pacific Northwest College of Art hard to get into?
Admissions at Pacific Northwest College of Art are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 74.9%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Pacific Northwest College of Art?
Pacific Northwest College of Art has an acceptance rate of 74.9%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Pacific Northwest College of Art cost?
The average net price after aid at Pacific Northwest College of Art is $35,785 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Pacific Northwest College of Art worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $34,883 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $35,785 per year. That's roughly 1.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Pacific Northwest College of Art known for?
Pacific Northwest College of Art is best known for its programs in Design, Fine Arts, Fine Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Pacific Northwest College of Art are $34,883, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
How many students attend Pacific Northwest College of Art?
Pacific Northwest College of Art enrolls 420 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Pacific Northwest College of Art?
Pacific Northwest College of Art graduates 51% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Pacific Northwest College of Art a public or private college?
Pacific Northwest College of Art is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Pacific Northwest College of Art located?
Pacific Northwest College of Art is located in Portland, Oregon.
What programs does Pacific Northwest College of Art offer?
Pacific Northwest College of Art offers 8 distinct programs. The most popular include Design, Fine Arts, Fine Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Pacific Northwest College of Art?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pacific Northwest College of Art is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Oregon
Other colleges in Oregon share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
