Harcum College
- Graduation Rate
- 41% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $46,827 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $24,776 D
- 45% more than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 876
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 12.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.4 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $12.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,126,677.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 41% — 28% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $12.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Harcum College Matters
Harcum College is a private college in Bryn Mawr, 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 876
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts
Why students choose Harcum 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
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $24,776 a year after grants and scholarships — 45% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $46,827 ten years after enrolling — 15% above the typical college, against $18,440 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 97% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.38 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, PA, is a good fit for students looking for hands-on programs in Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts, Criminal Justice, or Humanities. With an enrollment of 876, the college fosters a close-knit community where students can engage deeply with their studies. The focus on practical skills means graduates are often prepared for the workforce right after completing their degrees.
After graduation, students can expect to earn around $46,827 after ten years in the workforce. This figure is significant because it reflects the potential return on investment for those pursuing degrees here. Many students benefit from financial aid, with 55% receiving Pell Grants, which can ease the financial burden. Understanding the economic landscape of their chosen fields can help students make informed decisions about their career paths.
When it comes to the bottom line, the net price after aid stands at $24,776, which is manageable given the median debt of $18,440. This suggests that most students can graduate with a reasonable debt load, making it easier to start their careers without being overwhelmed by financial stress. Those who thrive at Harcum often embrace the community aspect of the college and take advantage of the hands-on learning opportunities that are integral to their programs.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Harcum 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 Harcum College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Harcum College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
- Retention Rate
- 50%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 36%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $5,841
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 4:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.70
- First-Gen Students
- 52%
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 Harcum College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Harcum College is $32,000, 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 $24,776. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,881 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,440 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $32,000
- Out-of-State
- $32,000
- Avg Net Price
- $24,776
- Median Debt
- $18,440
- Pell Grant Rate
- 55%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 70%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $21,881
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $19,744
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $26,450
- Family Income $110K+
- $39,270
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 Harcum 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 Harcum College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Harcum College earn a median of $46,827, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $37,871
- 8 Years
- $40,004
- 10 Years
- $46,827
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.39x
- Earning > $25K
- 63%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (46)
- 20%
- 100% (46)
- 20%
- 100% (46)
- 20%
- 100% (46)
- 20%
How Harcum 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 Harcum College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Harcum College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $24,776/year ($99,104 total). Graduates earn $46,827 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,225,781 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,126,677 (12.4× your investment). The median debt is $18,440, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 41% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $99,104
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,225,781
- Net Return
- $1,126,677
- ROI Multiple
- 12.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $24,776
- Median Debt
- $18,440
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 41%
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 Harcum College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Harcum College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.43%, a more modest figure. About 9.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $81,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.43%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 4.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 9.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $111,138
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $1,810,351
- Federal Grants
- $5,802,574
- Investment Income
- $-2,028,630
Top Programs
The fields Harcum 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.
- Health Professions 46% $77,221 early-career
- Humanities 7%
- Business & Marketing 6%
- Visual & Performing Arts 3%
- Criminal Justice 3%
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 Harcum 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
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- B+Nurse Practitioner$129,480 · 40% growthResilient 96
- CTraining Manager$125,040 · 6% growthResilient 74
- CProduct Manager$125,000 · 8% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Harcum College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Harcum College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Harcum College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Harcum College is $32,000, 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 $24,776. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,881 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,440 in federal student loans.
Is Harcum College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Harcum College earn a median of $46,827, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Harcum College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Harcum College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.43%, a more modest figure. About 9.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $81,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Harcum 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 Harcum College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.38, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Harcum College.
- Academy for Nursing and Health OccupationsWest Palm Beach, FL · Close peer49% grad $47,039 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Dallas Institute of Funeral ServiceDallas, TX · Close peer30% grad $45,866 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Columbia-Greene Community CollegeHudson, NY · Close peer40% grad $44,441 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Nashua Community CollegeNashua, NH · Close peer34% grad $46,164 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Iowa Lakes Community CollegeEstherville, IA · Strong match36% grad $43,108 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Great Bay Community CollegePortsmouth, NH · Strong match32% grad $42,397 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Harcum 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 Harcum College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.38, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note