Need-based aid friendly
Significant share of students receive Pell Grants.
This school51%
National avg32%
Source: IPEDS 2024
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Northwest College of Art & Design
Tacoma, WA
Northwest College of Art & Design at a glance
Northwest College of Art & Design is a private university in Tacoma, Washington with 139 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). It admitted 66% of applicants (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Its published tuition is $18,100 (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25); students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $16,418 a year after grants (College Scorecard, a prior cohort). 58% of students finish within the federal tracking window (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021); 48% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $30,750 (College Scorecard).
Tuition
$18,100
2024-25
Acceptance
66%
Fall 2024 applicants
Students
139
Fall 2024
Type
University
Setting
Urban
Cost & Financial Aid
In-State Tuition
$18,100
Out-of-State Tuition
$18,100
Avg On-Campus Living
Not available
Avg Off-Campus Living
$15,384
Financial Aid & Outcomes
College Scorecard
What will it actually cost?
Sticker price: $18,100
Net price (after aid): $16,418
Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.
Net price by family income
$0 – $30k: $12,977
$30k – $48k: $11,857
$48k – $75k: $17,146
$75k – $110k: $24,031
$110k+: $29,101 (above the federal borrowing ceiling)
Can federal loans cover it? (2026 limits)
For families earning $110k+, the average net price here is above the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow federally from 1 July 2026, by up to $3,601. That part has to come from savings, income, work, or private loans.
The ceiling is $5,500 in the student’s own Direct Loan plus up to $20,000 in Parent PLUS, which requires that the parent has no adverse credit history. Net prices are averages for a prior cohort of aid recipients, not a quote. Source: Federal Student Aid loan limits. Where this gap is largest.
After graduation
Median earnings (10yr): $31,167
Median debt at graduation: $30,750
Est. monthly loan payment: $326
Earnings-to-debt ratio
Weak · 1.0×Graduates earn about 1.0× their median debt every year.
Financial access
Students on Pell Grants: 51%
Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.
Students with federal loans: 48%
Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.
Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.
How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.
FAFSA earnings check
: Flagged "lower earnings"First-year students who list Northwest College of Art & Design on the FAFSA see the Department of Education's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $37,427, below the $38,829 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Washington.
It was not flagged in the December 2025 release and is flagged in the March 2026 release, which is the one FAFSA filers see now.
This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.
Student Outcomes
Graduation Rate
58%
Freshman Retention
77%
Source: IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25 (provisional release)
Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.
Scholarships available
Decision support · Cost & value
Quick Decision Highlights
The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.
Scholarships available
Aid signal
Affordability snapshot
Tuition
$18.1k
Net price
$16.4k
below avg
Pell
51%
above avg
Median debt
$30.8k
Earnings (10y)
$31.2k
“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.
Admissions
Acceptance rate
66%
SAT range
Institution does not report this
Institution does not report this
ACT range
Institution does not report this
Institution does not report this
Source: IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024 (provisional release)
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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school
Institution does not report this
Tacoma, WA 98402
Academics
Studying online
CampusPin has no verified federal record of distance-education enrolment at this institution. That is a gap in the evidence, not a sign that online study is unavailable, so ask the college directly.
Fields of study
Northwest College of Art & Design reported conferring credentials in 1 field to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.
Campus & Student Life
Area Safety Rating
Decision support
Similar schools
Worth a closer look if Northwest College of Art & Design caught your interest.
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Tuition $33,000 Open admissionSame state. Similar size. Same school type.
Graduate earnings by program
What Northwest College of Art & Design graduates earn, by program
Northwest College of Art & Design's bachelor's graduates in Design and Applied Arts earned a median $35,885 four years after graduating, 30% below the $51,490 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $27,694; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $30,734 in federal loans at this college (about $326 a month on a 10-year plan).
One program at Northwest College of Art & Design have federal earnings or debt figures, largest graduating classes first. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20. The national median is the same measure for every program in that field and credential in the U.S.
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts, Bachelor's | $35,885 | $51,490, −30% | $30,734 | $326/mo |
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Monthly payment assumes a standard 10-year plan. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data, 10 June 2026. Download every program (CSV). Same degree, different paycheck: what the national data show.
Frequently asked questions
About Northwest College of Art & Design
Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.
- Where is Northwest College of Art & Design located?
- Northwest College of Art & Design is located in Tacoma, WA, in the United States.
- What type of institution is Northwest College of Art & Design?
- Northwest College of Art & Design is a private university based in WA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
- What is the acceptance rate at Northwest College of Art & Design?
- The most recently reported acceptance rate at Northwest College of Art & Design is approximately 66% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.
- What is the tuition at Northwest College of Art & Design?
- Northwest College of Art & Design's published in-state tuition is approximately $18,100 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
- How many students attend Northwest College of Art & Design?
- Northwest College of Art & Design reports total enrollment of approximately 139 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
- How much does Northwest College of Art & Design actually cost after financial aid?
- The average net price at Northwest College of Art & Design is approximately $16,418 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $12,977 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $29,101. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
- What is the graduation rate at Northwest College of Art & Design?
- Northwest College of Art & Design reports a graduation rate of approximately 58% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
- How much student debt do graduates of Northwest College of Art & Design have?
- Students who borrowed at Northwest College of Art & Design left with a median of approximately $30,750 in federal loans, and about 48% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
- How much do graduates of Northwest College of Art & Design earn?
- Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $31,167 for students who received federal financial aid at Northwest College of Art & Design. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
- How should I verify final details about Northwest College of Art & Design?
- CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Northwest College of Art & Design.
- Does Northwest College of Art & Design get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
- Yes. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Northwest College of Art & Design is flagged "lower earnings": its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $37,427, below the $38,829 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Washington. First-year students who list it see a notice after submitting the FAFSA. The notice is informational and does not affect financial aid eligibility, and it describes the whole institution, not any one program. It was not flagged in the December 2025 release and is flagged in the March 2026 release, which is the one FAFSA filers see now.
Fields this college awarded credentials in
All 1 fields Northwest College of Art & Design reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.
| Field | Awarded | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 26 | Bachelor's |
Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Explore more
Compare colleges side by side. Other colleges in Tacoma, WA. All colleges in Washington. Washington college costs by family income. Student debt at Washington colleges. Computer science in Washington. Business in Washington. Nursing in Washington. Psychology in Washington. Engineering major guide.
Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with Northwest College of Art & Design before applying.
Data sources & methodology
Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: June 10, 2026.
Facts on this profile of Northwest College of Art & Design are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (2024). Northwest College of Art & Design, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/northwest-college-of-art-and-design
About this information
CampusPin compiles college information from recent publicly available data, including federal and institutional sources. College information can change as institutions and public agencies release new data.
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