PAFA School vs Harvard

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Harvard University, two esteemed institutions with distinct identities, offer prospective students a wealth of opportunities. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, a specialized art school, immerses students in the world of visual arts, while Harvard University, a renowned research university, provides a comprehensive education across a wide range of disciplines. With acceptance rates of 85% and 5%, respectively, these institutions cater to different levels of selectivity. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts predominantly attracts students interested in Fine Arts, while Harvard University offers a diverse range of popular majors, including Social Sciences, Engineering, and Biological Sciences. Explore the comparison table to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision.
Harvard University logo

Harvard University

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts logo

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 96.0% 84.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.0% 83.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1480 - 1580 N/A
ACT range 33 - 36 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 54.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0%
Total number of applicants 57,786 122
Total number of admissions given out 2,318 102
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,951 10
Yield rate 84.2% 9.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,028 $66,804
Average net price $13,910 $29,925
Tuition $51,143 $38,926
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $11,705

Meal plan: $7,236
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

56.0%
Average amount $59,840
100.0%
Average amount $29,528
Students receiving federal student loan 3.0%
Average amount $5,180
61.0%
Average amount $5,864
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $8,080
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,579
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
121
Men 24.0% Women 76.0%
Graduate students 21,766
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
57
Men 21.1% Women 78.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 23.9% 6.7%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity 12,874 37
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California Texas Illinois New Jersey N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 7:1 4:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 96.7% 47.2%
Dropout rate 2.0% 33.3%
Transferred out N/A 16.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Statistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,193
  • Year 2: $128,716
  • Year 3: $240,408
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $184,307
  • Year 2: $165,340
  • Year 3: $199,043
Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $171,333
  • Year 2: $171,907
  • Year 3: $187,553
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $140,072
  • Year 2: $128,737
  • Year 3: $163,896
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $151,371
  • Year 2: $174,023
  • Year 3: $163,512
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,508
  • Year 2: $117,916
  • Year 3: $129,281
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $121,832
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,707
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $121,771
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,905
  • Year 2: $98,670
  • Year 3: $107,389
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,745
  • Year 2: $71,486
  • Year 3: $106,375
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,722
  • Year 2: $19,749
  • Year 3: $28,395
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,413
  • Year 2: $22,764
  • Year 3: $26,502

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