Pacific Northwest College of Art
Portland, OR
74.9%
Acceptance Rate
$49,006
Avg Cost (In-State)
$49,006
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
35.6%
Graduation Rate
420
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to photography collegesBy the numbers
Pacific Northwest College of Art, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Interview
Not required
Essays: Artist statement required describing creative interests and goals
Note: Portfolio required: 10-20 images of original artwork
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$24,101
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$34,883
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
36%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts. | $19,501 | — | 40 |
| Fine and Studio Arts. | $25,906 | — | 23 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General. | $13,895 | — | 16 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Pacific Northwest College of Art
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗Oregon Promise (Community College)
~$8k valueOregon Promise covers most community college tuition for Oregon residents who go directly to CC within 6 months of HS graduation.
Who it helps: Recent Oregon HS grads going directly to an OR community college.
How to use: File FAFSA + Oregon Promise app by April 1.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Oregon State Provost's Scholarship
$3,000-$10,000/year
universityTop OSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗Reed College Comprehensive Need-Met Aid
100% need met with modest loan expectation
universityAll admitted Reed students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Oregon Opportunity Grant
Up to $3,612/year (publics); $3,612 (privates)
stateOR residents with financial need at OR colleges. Pell-aligned EFC.
Deadline: March 1 (FAFSA)
Learn more ↗Oregon Tribal Student Grant
Full cost of attendance at OR publics
stateEnrolled members of one of OR's nine federally recognized tribes attending OR public colleges/universities.
Deadline: ORSAA or FAFSA + apply
Learn more ↗Oregon Chafee Education and Training Grant
Up to $5,000/year
stateOR current/former foster youth ages 14-26.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗Oregon State University Provost Scholarship
$3,000-$9,000/year
universityOSU incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit (beyond F1's basic Provost).
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗Oregon Community Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$10,000+
localOR students; one common app unlocks 600+ named funds.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Verne Catt McDowell Scholarship
$5,000
nationalStudents from Linn/Lane/Marion counties Oregon pursuing social-work or related helping professions.
Deadline: April 30
Learn more ↗Oregon Diversity Excellence Scholarship
Tuition + fees + housing
universityUnderrepresented OR residents at U Oregon with academic merit.
Deadline: Through admission
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $28,219 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $30,517 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $30,916 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $36,998 |
| $110,001+ | $44,522 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Pacific Northwest College of Art →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 74.9% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
74.85%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
40.5%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
18.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
23.1%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
69.5%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
29.1%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
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