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Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Lancaster, PA · City · 400 students
WebsiteScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$30,083
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
66%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
63% typical
$33,301
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$39,254 typical
99%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
64% typical · not scored
Accredited by National Association of Schools of Arts and Design
About

Located in the heart of downtown Lancaster’s vibrant arts district, the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) is a premier professional art institution renowned for its career-focused BFA programs in high-demand fields like Illustration, Graphic Design, Animation & Game Art, and Live Experience Design. The college’s tight-knit campus culture offers an intimate, highly collaborative learning environment where students receive direct, mentor-based instruction from faculty members who are active, working professionals. What truly sets PCA&D apart is its intentional "micro-college" scale of under 300 students combined with a mandatory internship curriculum, ensuring that every student receives individualized attention while gaining hands-on, real-world experience in the creative industries before graduation.


Wikipedia:Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is a private art and design college located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. The college offers Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Associate of Fine Arts (AFA), and Associate of Arts (AA) degrees, as well as minors, certificate programs, and continuing education opportunities.

Location
Lancaster, PA, 17603-0059 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
PHL · Philadelphia
58 mi away
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$32,150
Housing & food (on campus)$17,230
Books & supplies$1,650
Cost of attendance$43,815
Average net price$30,083
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$32,150
Housing & food (on campus)$17,230
Books & supplies$1,650
Cost of attendance$43,815
Average net price$30,083
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$24,547
$30–48k
$24,115
$48–75k
$26,576
$75–110k
$30,876
$110k+
$37,851
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
66%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
67%
Back for yr 2
85%
Transferred
13%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
58% graduated · 23% transferred · 19% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$23,638
10 yrs after entry$33,301
Debt
Median at graduation$27,000
Monthly payment$286
Middle 50% owe$5.5k–$27k
90th percentile$35,000
Green marks a figure above the typical Special focus — arts, music & design: 63% graduate within 6 yrs.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
99%
Test policy
Not required
Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

If Pennsylvania College of Art and Design asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 32%Women 69%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
10 : 1
Pell grant
47%
Family income
$56,987
Independent
10%
Age at entry
20.0
Part-time
4%
Race & ethnicity
White
62%
Hispanic
3%
Black
15%
Asian
5%
Two or more
5%
NH/PI
2%
Unknown
9%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$23,638
After 10 yrs
$33,301
Design and Applied Arts36
Fine and Studio Arts8
Film/Video and Photographic Arts7
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$3M
Full-time faculty
24%
Faculty salary
$4,574/mo
Teaching spend
$8,279
per student
Federal loans
69%
Classification
Carnegie type
Special focus — arts, music & design
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions

Wondering if Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is the right fit for you?

SchoolScout builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

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Financial aid & net cost estimates
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