Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1472 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $31,901, placing Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1406 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a specialized institution focused entirely on visual and performing arts education. Azimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1472 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the academy enrolls roughly 23 undergraduates and maintains a 0.0% freshman retention rate and 57.6% six-year graduation rate. Where Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1406 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $31,901. The institution's singular focus on Visual & Performing Arts creates a concentrated portfolio where program quality and labor-market alignment directly shape student outcomes. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts sits in the 1.1 percentile for access and the 4.0 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. 35.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, reflecting a student population with meaningful economic diversity despite the institution's specialized mission. For students committed to visual and performing arts careers, the academy's concentrated expertise and direct labor-market connections in creative fields offer a distinctive pathway, though prospective students should carefully weigh the specialized earnings profile and affordability context against their financial circumstances and career goals.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' published cost of attendance is $66,106. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $39,928, middle-income families pay around $42,893, and higher-income families pay approximately $46,702. Azimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1368 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts uses the FAFSA to determine financial need and awards need-based aid to qualifying students. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs. Families should review the institution's financial aid page ↗ for current aid policies and application procedures, including any merit or talent-based scholarships specific to studio arts and fine arts disciplines. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,309, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $44,400; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $31,901, median federal debt of $22,309 projects to a monthly payment of about $252 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a strong fit for students committed to visual and performing arts who want a focused, studio-based education in Philadelphia, PA. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $31,901, placing Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls students from a range of backgrounds, with 35.4% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. Published cost of attendance is $46,702, and median federal student debt at graduation is $22,309. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Visual & Performing Arts (representing 100% of degrees), and earnings outcomes vary significantly by artistic discipline and career path. Students passionate about these fields will find dedicated studio resources and faculty mentorship.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' published cost of attendance is $66,106. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $39,928, middle-income families pay around $42,893, and higher-income families pay approximately $46,702.
Azimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1368 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts uses the FAFSA to determine financial need and awards need-based aid to qualifying students. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs.
Families should review the institution's [financial aid page ↗](#) for current aid policies and application procedures, including any merit or talent-based scholarships specific to studio arts and fine arts disciplines. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,309, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $44,400; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $31,901, median federal debt of $22,309 projects to a monthly payment of about $252 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts earn median 4-year earnings of $31,901, placing the institution in the 0.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts #1406 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings reflect outcomes across a specialized portfolio centered on visual and performing arts, where career trajectories often extend beyond traditional employment into freelance, entrepreneurial, and creative-sector pathways that may not fully surface in early-career salary data. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts's program mix is concentrated in Visual & Performing Arts, with Fine and Studio Arts as the largest program, graduating 23 students with median 4-year earnings of $31,131.
Design and Applied Arts represents the second major enrollment cluster, reflecting the institution's focused mission in arts education. For students pursuing careers in creative fields, the four-year earnings figures capture early-stage income that may underrepresent long-term financial outcomes, as many graduates transition into established creative practices, gallery representation, teaching positions, or arts administration roles that typically build earnings over a longer horizon than the four-year measurement window.
Fine and Studio Arts
23 graduates
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts centers its program portfolio on visual and performing arts — a signature aligned with the institution's identity as a specialized fine arts academy in Philadelphia. Fine Arts General is the largest program with 23 graduates annually, followed by Design and Applied Arts.
Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 29 students, the earnings landscape reflects the distinct labor-market dynamics of creative fields. Fine Arts General, the institution's highest-aggregate-return program, graduates 23 students earning median four-year earnings of $31,131.
Fine and Studio Arts represents the institution's highest-earning pathway, with 23 graduates earning median four-year earnings of $31,131. The concentration in Visual & Performing Arts — approximately 100% of the institution's degree output — positions Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as a specialized credential in a competitive creative-industries labor market.
Graduates of visual and performing arts programs typically enter high-mobility career pathways including freelance creative work, gallery and museum roles, arts administration, and design-adjacent fields where earnings grow through portfolio development and professional network building. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how creative-field credentials align with national labor-market demand and career trajectory patterns in the arts.
