Goucher College
#3 Best Communications Colleges in Maryland- Graduation Rate
- 59% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $53,023 B
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $22,470 D+
- 31% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 78% C
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 16.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.9 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Best Communications Colleges in Maryland.
Every $1 spent returns $16.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,425,327.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Earnings 30% above the national college median.
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Social mobility rate of 2.18% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $16.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Goucher College Matters
Goucher College is a private liberal arts college in Baltimore, MD and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. 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 Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 964
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Psychology, Social Sciences, English & Literature, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Goucher College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 78% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1090–1325. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $22,470 a year after grants and scholarships — 31% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $53,023 ten years after enrolling — 30% above the typical college, against $26,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.2% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 23% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.83 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of just 964 students, Goucher College offers a close-knit community where individuals looking for a personalized educational experience can thrive. The acceptance rate of 78% indicates that Goucher values a broad range of applicants, making it accessible for many. Students here often dive into popular areas like Social Sciences, Psychology, and English & Literature, as well as Business and Biology. The focus on these fields suggests a commitment to understanding both the human experience and the practical applications of knowledge.
Looking beyond graduation, the 10-year earnings average for alumni is $53,023, which can provide a solid foundation for those starting their careers. While the graduation rate is 59%, it reflects the challenges some students face in completing their degrees. However, the school's commitment to affordability is evident in its Pell Grant rate of 35%, which helps lower-income students access education without excessive financial strain.
When considering the cost, the net price after aid stands at $22,470, which is manageable for many families. With a median debt of $26,000, students can graduate with a degree and a reasonable financial outlook. This environment tends to benefit those who are motivated and proactive, as they can leverage the resources available to them and connect deeply with faculty and peers alike.
Rankings
- #3 Best Communications Colleges in Maryland
- #6 Best Engineering Colleges in Maryland
- #6 Best Psychology Colleges in Maryland
- #7 Best Biology Colleges in Maryland
- #9 Best Bachelor's Programs in Maryland
- #9 Best Master's Programs in Maryland
- #11 Best Colleges in Maryland
- #11 Best Online Colleges in Maryland
Can I Get In?
How selective Goucher College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Goucher College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Goucher College, located in Baltimore, Maryland, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 78%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,248. The graduation rate is roughly 59%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Retention Rate
- 79%
- SAT Average
- 1248
- ACT Midpoint
- 28
- SAT Range
- 1090–1325
- ACT Range
- 27–30
- Full-Time Faculty
- 56%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,359
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 7:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 18%
- Applicants
- 2,946
- Admitted
- 2,364
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 Goucher College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Goucher College is $53,350, 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 $22,470. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $13,471 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $53,350
- Out-of-State
- $53,350
- Avg Net Price
- $22,470
- Median Debt
- $26,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 35%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 53%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $13,471
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $18,066
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $20,403
- Family Income $110K+
- $32,220
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 Goucher College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Goucher College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Goucher College earn a median of $53,023, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $40,563
- 8 Years
- $45,943
- 10 Years
- $53,023
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.49x
- Earning > $25K
- 55%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (214)
- 53%
- 100% (214)
- 53%
- 100% (214)
- 53%
- 100% (214)
- 53%
How Goucher Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Goucher College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Goucher College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,470/year ($89,880 total). Graduates earn $53,023 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,515,207 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,425,327 (16.9× your investment). The median debt is $26,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 59% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $89,880
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,515,207
- Net Return
- $1,425,327
- ROI Multiple
- 16.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $22,470
- Median Debt
- $26,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 59%
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 Goucher College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Goucher 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 2.18%, among the highest in the country. About 6.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 35.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $106,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.18%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 35.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $144,424
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $6,136,000
- Investment Income
- $-10,420,000
Top Programs
The fields Goucher 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.
- Psychology 15% $34,239 early-career
- Social Sciences 13% $54,760 early-career
- English & Literature 12% $24,472 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 11%
- Visual & Performing Arts 7% $39,121 early-career
- Communications 7% $32,612 early-career
- Business & Marketing 6% $57,115 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Goucher College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Goucher College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Goucher College, located in Baltimore, Maryland, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 78%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,248. The graduation rate is roughly 59%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Goucher College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Goucher College is $53,350, 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 $22,470. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $13,471 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.
Is Goucher College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Goucher College earn a median of $53,023, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Goucher College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Goucher 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 2.18%, among the highest in the country. About 6.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 35.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $106,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Goucher 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 Goucher College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.83, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 16% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Goucher College.
- Franklin CollegeFranklin, IN · Close peer62% grad $55,376 earn 70% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Georgian Court UniversityLakewood, NJ · Close peer54% grad $53,096 earn 79% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- La Roche UniversityPittsburgh, PA · Close peer57% grad $52,341 earn 76% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Marian UniversityFond Du Lac, WI · Close peer43% grad $53,501 earn 75% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar net price
- Spring Hill CollegeMobile, AL · Close peer54% grad $51,500 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Illinois CollegeJacksonville, IL · Close peer63% grad $52,575 earn 78% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Goucher 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 Goucher College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.83, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 16% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note