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Chestnut Hill College

Private nonprofit Philadelphia, PA · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 93% data
A Diversity B Earnings C+ Selectivity
Graduation Rate
53% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$52,015 B
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$27,970 F
63% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
74% C+
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +28% vs avg
Graduation -8% vs avg
Net Price 63% vs avg
Mobility Top 52%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 11.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $11.0 over 20 years.

11.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $11.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,115,642.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 28% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $11.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Chestnut Hill College Matters

Chestnut Hill College is a private university in Philadelphia, PA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
815
Setting
Urban
Designations
30
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Education, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology

Why students choose Chestnut Hill College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 50% overall
B
Earnings
$52,015 median
D+
Value
1.9× net price
F
Affordability
$27,970/yr net
C-
Graduation
53% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.4% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Selectivity
74% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.79 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of just 815 students, Chestnut Hill College offers a more intimate college experience where individuals can really find their niche. The acceptance rate sits at 74%, making it accessible for many aspiring students. Here, students can delve into popular programs such as Business & Marketing, Education, Biology & Biomedical, Criminal Justice, and Psychology. This variety allows students to tailor their education to their interests and career goals.

After graduation, the average earnings for alumni reach about $52,015, which provides a solid foundation for many graduates as they enter the workforce. While the graduation rate is 53%, a significant number of students still find their way into fulfilling careers. The affordability of the education here is notable, especially with 52% of students receiving Pell Grants, which can help ease the financial burden.

The net price after aid stands at $27,970, and the median debt for graduates is around $26,389. This financial landscape means that many students can navigate their post-college life without being overwhelmed by debt. Generally, those who thrive here are likely motivated and proactive, ready to engage deeply in their studies and take advantage of the supportive community around them.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Chestnut Hill College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Chestnut Hill College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chestnut Hill College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 74%. The graduation rate is roughly 53%.

Acceptance Rate
74%
Retention Rate
62%
Full-Time Faculty
33%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$5,821
Student–Faculty Ratio
10:1
Diversity Index
0.79
First-Gen Students
44%
Applicants
1,543
Admitted
1,515

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Chestnut Hill College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Chestnut Hill College is $39,870, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $27,970. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $28,011 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,389 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$39,870
Out-of-State
$39,870
Avg Net Price
$27,970
Median Debt
$26,389
Pell Grant Rate
52%
Federal Loan Rate
78%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$28,011
Family Income $30K–$48K
$24,447
Family Income $48K–$75K
$22,714
Family Income $110K+
$33,175

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Chestnut Hill College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Chestnut Hill College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Chestnut Hill College earn a median of $52,015, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$45,221
8 Years
$49,924
10 Years
$52,015
Debt-to-Earnings
0.51x
Earning > $25K
67%

Earnings Trajectory

$45,221 6yr $49,924 8yr $52,015 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (90)
48%
100% (90)
48%
100% (90)
48%
100% (90)
48%

How Chestnut Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation53%Earnings 10yr$52KNet Price$28KRetention62%Median Debt$26KPell Grant Rate52%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$28K$0-30K$24K$30-48K$23K$48-75K$33K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%8.0%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%17.7%MOBILITY1.42%

College ROI Calculator

Is Chestnut Hill College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Chestnut Hill College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $27,970/year ($111,880 total). Graduates earn $52,015 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,227,522 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,115,642 (11.0× your investment). The median debt is $26,389, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 53% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$111,880
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,227,522
Net Return
$1,115,642
ROI Multiple
11.0×
Cost Per Year
$27,970
Median Debt
$26,389
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
53%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Chestnut Hill College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Chestnut Hill College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.42%, well above the typical college. About 8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $76,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.42%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
17.7%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
8.0%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$104,073
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Chestnut Hill College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Chestnut Hill College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.71, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.71
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.1%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$6,229,909
Investment Income
$-2,657,748

Top Programs

The fields Chestnut Hill College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Chestnut Hill College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chestnut Hill College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 74%. The graduation rate is roughly 53%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Chestnut Hill College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Chestnut Hill College is $39,870, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $27,970. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $28,011 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,389 in federal student loans.

Is Chestnut Hill College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Chestnut Hill College earn a median of $52,015, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Chestnut Hill College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Chestnut Hill College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.42%, well above the typical college. About 8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $76,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Chestnut Hill College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Chestnut Hill College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.71, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys