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Elmira College

Private nonprofit Elmira, NY · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
B+ Earnings C+ Graduation C Selectivity
Graduation Rate
64% C+
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$57,550 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$22,386 D+
31% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
77% C
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +41% vs avg
Graduation +13% vs avg
Net Price 31% vs avg
Mobility Top 55%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 15.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.6 over 20 years.

15.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $15.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,305,835.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Earnings 41% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $15.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Elmira College Matters

Elmira College is a private college in Elmira, NY 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 College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
708
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Education, Psychology

Why students choose Elmira College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C
Top 47% overall
B+
Earnings
$57,550 median
C
Value
2.6× net price
D+
Affordability
$22,386/yr net
C+
Graduation
64% graduate
C-
Social Mobility
1.4% climb Q1→Q5
C
Selectivity
77% admit rate
C-
Diversity
0.52 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 708 students, Elmira College offers a personalized educational experience, making it a great fit for those who thrive in smaller settings. The acceptance rate stands at 77%, which gives many prospective students a chance. Here, students often dive into fields like Business & Marketing, Health Professions, and Education, among others. This focus on hands-on learning and close faculty interaction can be a game-changer for those looking to make the most of their college years.

After graduation, students can expect to earn around $57,550 within ten years. This figure indicates that graduates are stepping into solid career opportunities in their respective fields. Affordability is also a strong point, with a net price of $22,386 after financial aid. This allows students to balance their educational investment with their future earnings. While we don’t have specific mobility data, the earnings potential suggests that many find their footing in the job market.

When it comes to practical matters, Elmira College has a median debt of $27,000, which is manageable for many graduates. The 38% of students receiving Pell Grants highlights the college's commitment to supporting students from various backgrounds. Those who tend to thrive here are often those looking for a close-knit community and a focused academic environment. Elmira could be a smart choice for anyone aiming to get a quality education while building a solid foundation for their future.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Elmira 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 Elmira College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Elmira, New York, Elmira College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 77%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,314. The graduation rate is roughly 64%.

Acceptance Rate
77%
Retention Rate
70%
SAT Average
1314
SAT Range
1090–1385
ACT Range
26–29
Full-Time Faculty
46%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$5,191
Student–Faculty Ratio
7:1
Diversity Index
0.52
First-Gen Students
27%
Applicants
1,456
Admitted
1,397

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 Elmira College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Elmira College is $38,976, 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 $22,386. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,392 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$38,976
Out-of-State
$38,976
Avg Net Price
$22,386
Median Debt
$27,000
Pell Grant Rate
38%
Federal Loan Rate
72%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$17,392
Family Income $30K–$48K
$16,586
Family Income $48K–$75K
$19,938
Family Income $110K+
$27,418

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 Elmira 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 Elmira College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Elmira College earn a median of $57,550, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$49,057
8 Years
$53,139
10 Years
$57,550
Debt-to-Earnings
0.47x
Earning > $25K
69%

Earnings Trajectory

$49,057 6yr $53,139 8yr $57,550 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (206)
63%
100% (206)
63%
100% (206)
63%
100% (206)
63%

How Elmira Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation64%Earnings 10yr$58KNet Price$22KRetention70%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate38%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$17K$0-30K$17K$30-48K$20K$48-75K$27K$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%5.0%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%27.2%MOBILITY1.37%

College ROI Calculator

Is Elmira College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Elmira College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,386/year ($89,544 total). Graduates earn $57,550 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,395,379 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,305,835 (15.6× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 64% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$89,544
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,395,379
Net Return
$1,305,835
ROI Multiple
15.6×
Cost Per Year
$22,386
Median Debt
$27,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
64%

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 Elmira College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Elmira 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 1.37%, well above the typical college. About 5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 27.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $91,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.37%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
27.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
5.0%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$124,181
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Elmira 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 Elmira College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.69, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.69
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.8%
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
$4,323,482
Investment Income
$-4,066,878

Top Programs

The fields Elmira 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 Elmira College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Elmira, New York, Elmira College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 77%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,314. The graduation rate is roughly 64%.

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

Published tuition at Elmira College is $38,976, 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 $22,386. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,392 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

Is Elmira College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Elmira College earn a median of $57,550, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

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

Elmira 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 1.37%, well above the typical college. About 5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 27.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $91,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Elmira 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 Elmira College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.69, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Elmira College.

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