Northwest College of Art & Design
Northwest College of Art & Design is a private for-profit university in Tacoma, Washington, enrolling about 139 students. Admission is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of about 65.98% in federal reporting data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $31,167 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $18,100
- 2024 Average Net Price: $16,418 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 65.98% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 139 95.7% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 57.69%
Northwest College of Art & Design: what the data shows
Common questions about Northwest College of Art & Design, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Northwest College of Art & Design?
Northwest College of Art & Design is located in Tacoma, WA (ZIP 98402).
NCES locale classification: Suburb.
Is Northwest College of Art & Design public or private?
Northwest College of Art & Design is a Private For-profit institution.
How much does Northwest College of Art & Design cost?
Published tuition: $18,100.
Average net price after aid: $16,418.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $12,977 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $11,857 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $17,146 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $24,031 |
| $110,001+ | $29,101 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $72,400.
How hard is it to get into Northwest College of Art & Design?
Admission rate: 65.98%.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Northwest College of Art & Design?
Total enrollment: 139 students.
About 96% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest College of Art & Design?
150%-time completion rate: 57.69%.
First-year retention: 76.8%.
What do graduates of Northwest College of Art & Design earn?
Median earnings: $27,505 six years after entry; $31,167 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $30,750.
50.67% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Northwest College of Art & Design known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- CIP 500401 (25 completions)
- Other/Unknown Programs (25 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Northwest College of Art & Design a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 65.98%; completion rate 57.69%; median earnings $31,167 at 10 years; net price $16,418. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$18,100
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Northwest College of Art & Design was $18,100.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$16,418
2024 Value
In 2024 Northwest College of Art & Design had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,418.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$65,672 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$16,418 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$72,400 4-Year Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Northwest College of Art & Design.
Financial Aid by Income Level
50.67% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
48.00% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Northwest College of Art & Design was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Northwest College of Art & Design in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $19,000 | $19,000 | $25,277 |
| 2014 | $19,100 | $19,100 | $27,661 |
| 2015 | $19,050 | $19,050 | $23,041 |
| 2016 | $19,075 | $19,075 | $23,815 |
| 2017 | $19,075 | $19,075 | $23,534 |
| 2018 | $20,600 | $20,600 | $22,222 |
| 2019 | $18,100 | $18,100 | $19,480 |
| 2020 | $18,100 | $18,100 | $13,886 |
| 2021 | $18,100 | $18,100 | $15,323 |
| 2022 | $18,100 | $18,100 | $18,551 |
| 2023 | $18,100 | $18,100 | $20,185 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
65.98% Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
95.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Northwest College of Art & Design in 2024 is 139 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
76.8%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
46.15% 100% Completion Time
57.69% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 46.15% of students graduating from Northwest College of Art & Design completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Northwest College of Art & Design.
Return on Investment
$30,750 Median Student Debt
$31,167 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
98.66% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
374.59% Return on Investment
9.9 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Northwest College of Art & Design.
Top Programs by Completions
2 Programs Reporting Data
CIP 50.0401: 25 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 25 completions
Most popular programs at Northwest College of Art & Design.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Northwest College of Art & Design graduates.
About
Northwest College of Art & Design is a private for-profit institution located in Tacoma, WA, offering 2 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 139 students. The admission rate is 65.98%. The institution maintains a 57.69% graduation rate. Approximately 50.67% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Private For-profit
Location
Tacoma, WA 98402
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Northwest College of Art & Design provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
FAQ
How much does Northwest College of Art & Design cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $18,100 and average net price is $16,418 in the latest College Scorecard data.
How hard is it to get into Northwest College of Art & Design?
The admission rate is 66.0% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data.
What do graduates of Northwest College of Art & Design earn?
Median earnings are $27,505 six years after entry and $31,167 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest College of Art & Design?
The 150%-time completion rate is 57.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Northwest College of Art & Design students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $30,750.
How big is Northwest College of Art & Design?
Total enrollment is about 139 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Northwest College of Art & Design public or private?
Northwest College of Art & Design is a private for-profit institution located in Tacoma, WA.
Is Northwest College of Art & Design an HBCU?
No. Northwest College of Art & Design is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Northwest College of Art & Design a tribal college?
No. Northwest College of Art & Design is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Northwest College of Art & Design a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Northwest College of Art & Design does not meet that proxy (reported share 19.4%).
Is Northwest College of Art & Design religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Northwest College of Art & Design in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.