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John Carroll University

#2 Best Business Colleges in Ohio
Private nonprofit University Heights, OH · Suburban · Great Lakes · 100% data
A- Earnings B+ Graduation C- Selectivity
Graduation Rate
78% B+
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$62,860 A-
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$28,746 F
68% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
81% C-
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +54% vs avg
Graduation +36% vs avg
Net Price 68% vs avg
Mobility Top 78%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 13.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $13.4 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Business Colleges in Ohio.

13.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $13.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,425,120.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduates earn 54% more than the national college median.

  3. A 78% graduation rate — 36% above the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $13.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why John Carroll University Matters

John Carroll University is a private university in University Heights, OH 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
2,274
Setting
Suburban
Designations
30
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Social Sciences, Psychology

Why students choose John Carroll University

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 53% overall
A-
Earnings
$62,860 median
C-
Value
2.2× net price
F
Affordability
$28,746/yr net
B+
Graduation
78% graduate
D
Social Mobility
1.0% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Selectivity
81% admit rate
D
Diversity
0.36 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 over 2,200 students, John Carroll University offers a close-knit environment that’s ideal for those who thrive in smaller settings. This school is particularly suited for students interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology, and Communications. An acceptance rate of 81% suggests that the school is accessible, welcoming a diverse range of students who are looking for a supportive community to develop academically and personally.

When it comes to post-graduation outcomes, students can expect to earn an average of $62,860 a decade after earning their degree. That figure gives a good sense of the economic potential that comes with a John Carroll education. While we don't have specific mobility data, the school is known for helping graduates move into promising careers, often within a few years of finishing their studies. This balance between affordability and promising earnings makes it a compelling choice for many.

Looking at the financial side, the net price after aid stands at $28,746, with a median debt of $26,000. This positions John Carroll as a manageable option for many students, especially given the potential return on investment. Those who tend to thrive here are often those who value a personalized approach to education and are eager to engage with their professors and peers in an intimate, community-focused setting.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective John Carroll University 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 John Carroll University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in University Heights, Ohio, John Carroll University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 81%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,298. The graduation rate is roughly 78%.

Acceptance Rate
81%
Retention Rate
83%
SAT Average
1298
ACT Midpoint
27
SAT Range
1180–1330
ACT Range
25–32
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$10,285
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.36
First-Gen Students
19%
Applicants
4,310
Admitted
3,550

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 John Carroll University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at John Carroll University is $50,500, 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 $28,746. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,945 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$50,500
Out-of-State
$50,500
Avg Net Price
$28,746
Median Debt
$26,000
Pell Grant Rate
21%
Federal Loan Rate
55%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$19,945
Family Income $30K–$48K
$19,485
Family Income $48K–$75K
$24,900
Family Income $110K+
$34,240

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 John Carroll University — 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 John Carroll University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of John Carroll University earn a median of $62,860, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$53,187
8 Years
$62,706
10 Years
$62,860
Debt-to-Earnings
0.41x
Earning > $25K
77%

Earnings Trajectory

$53,187 6yr $62,706 8yr $62,860 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (533)
67%
100% (533)
67%
100% (533)
67%
100% (533)
67%

How John Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation78%Earnings 10yr$63KNet Price$29KRetention83%Median Debt$26KPell Grant Rate21%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$20K$0-30K$19K$30-48K$25K$48-75K$34K$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%3.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%28.5%MOBILITY0.97%

College ROI Calculator

Is John Carroll University Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, John Carroll University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $28,746/year ($114,984 total). Graduates earn $62,860 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,540,104 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,425,120 (13.4× your investment). The median debt is $26,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 78% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$114,984
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,540,104
Net Return
$1,425,120
ROI Multiple
13.4×
Cost Per Year
$28,746
Median Debt
$26,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
78%

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 John Carroll University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

John Carroll University 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 0.97%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 3.4% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 28.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $101,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
0.97%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
28.5%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
3.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$137,903
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is John Carroll University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at John Carroll University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.60, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.60
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.5%
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
$7,215,590
Investment Income
$-23,294,476

Top Programs

The fields John Carroll University 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 John Carroll University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in University Heights, Ohio, John Carroll University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 81%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,298. The graduation rate is roughly 78%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend John Carroll University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at John Carroll University is $50,500, 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 $28,746. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,945 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.

Is John Carroll University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of John Carroll University earn a median of $62,860, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does John Carroll University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

John Carroll University 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 0.97%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 3.4% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 28.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $101,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is John Carroll University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at John Carroll University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.60, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to John Carroll University.

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