Pacific Northwest College of Art
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. graduation rate is below 40%; earnings-to-debt ratio is tight. a private nonprofit school with 420 students.
About This School
Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private nonprofit institution located in Portland, Oregon with approximately 420 undergraduate students enrolled. Pacific Northwest College of Art has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 75%. The average net price after financial aid is $35,785 per year. The graduation rate is 29%, and the typical graduate earns $37,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
The Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) is an art school of Willamette University and is located in Portland, Oregon. Established in 1909, the art school grants Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees and graduate degrees including the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees. It has an enrollment of about 500 students. The college merged with Willamette University in 2021.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: a 46% graduation rate and 63% freshman retention rate suggest that nearly half of students who start don't finish, which is a real red flag worth digging into before committing. On the encouraging side, median debt at graduation is a relatively modest $10,500, but median earnings of $37,400 a decade out means graduates aren't exactly thriving financially — and at $40,846 per year in net costs, the math is tight. Worth considering only if you have a clear, specific creative vision that aligns with PNCA's Portland art scene connections, and a backup plan if things don't go as expected.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 28% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Worth scrutinizing. Median earnings relative to debt are tight.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (420 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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Salem, OR · Public
Lane Community College
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Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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