Pennsylvania College of Art and Design vs SVA NYC

Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (PCAD) and School of Visual Arts (SVA) stand out as prominent institutions dedicated to nurturing artistic talent. While both share a commitment to excellence in art education, they offer distinct experiences. PCAD, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, boasts a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. In contrast, SVA, situated in the heart of New York City, offers a vibrant urban setting and a larger, more diverse student population. With acceptance rates of 85% and 48%, respectively, PCAD offers a more accessible path to admission, while SVA's rigorous admissions process ensures a highly selective cohort. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details on these institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision.
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design logo

Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

School of Visual Arts logo

School of Visual Arts

Overview

Location Lancaster, Pennsylvania New York, New York
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (For Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 51.3% 71.3%
Application fees $40
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $80
SAT range N/A 1140 - 1363
ACT range N/A 22 - 30
Students submitting SAT score 14.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0%
Total number of applicants 187 4,208
Total number of admissions given out 96 3,000
Admitted students who chose to enroll 41 771
Yield rate 42.7% 25.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $41,038 $74,968
Average net price $26,452 $51,634
Tuition $26,750 $45,000
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $11,808
63.0%
Average amount $16,551
Students receiving federal student loan 88.0%
Average amount $5,897
24.0%
Average amount $5,267
Students taking out private loans 26.0%
Average amount $22,629
7.0%
Average amount $32,503

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 228
Men 28.5% Women 71.5%
3,529
Men 27.4% Women 72.6%
Graduate students N/A 582
Men 24.9% Women 75.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 65.5%
International students N/A 53.9%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 102 1,092
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A New York New Jersey California Florida Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Communications Technology
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 8:1
Institutional accreditation National Association of Schools of Arts and Design Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 57.8% 73.9%
Dropout rate 16.9% 13.6%
Transferred out 25.4% 11.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) N/A
Design and Applied Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,688
  • Year 2: $68,499
  • Year 3: $79,178
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,823
  • Year 3: $56,128
Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,114
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: $54,214
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,489
  • Year 2: $31,567
  • Year 3: $31,458
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,424
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $30,286
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,481
  • Year 2: $24,863
  • Year 3: $26,003
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $14,518
  • Year 2: $13,132
  • Year 3: $18,637
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $19,405
  • Year 2: $17,489
  • Year 3: $17,701
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,635
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,856
  • Year 3: N/A