Point Park University
#10 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Pennsylvania- Graduation Rate
- 59% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $45,856 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $25,942 D
- 51% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 97% F
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 11.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $11.7 over 20 years. Ranked #10 in Best Online Computer Science Programs in Pennsylvania.
Every $1 spent returns $11.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,105,500.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $11.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Point Park University Matters
Point Park University is a private doctoral / professional university in Pittsburgh, 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 Doctoral / Professional University
- Carnegie Class
- Doctoral/Professional
- Enrollment
- 2,331
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, Psychology, Communications
Why students choose Point Park University
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
Accessible — admits about 97% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,942 a year after grants and scholarships — 51% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $45,856 ten years after enrolling — 12% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 46% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.60 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Point Park University serves a diverse group of students, particularly those interested in the arts and practical disciplines. With an acceptance rate of 97%, it’s accessible for many who are eager to dive into fields like Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, and Communications. The campus culture emphasizes creativity and hands-on experiences, making it a great fit for those looking to explore their passions in a supportive environment.
Life after graduation can be promising, with a reported average earning of $45,856 after ten years. This figure indicates that many graduates find their footing in various industries, especially in professions tied to their fields of study. The affordability aspect is also noteworthy; 39% of students receive Pell Grants, which can help ease financial burdens for those from lower-income families. This means that while the path may not be without challenges, there is a community here that aims to support upward mobility.
When it comes to the financial side of attending Point Park, the net price after aid is $25,942, and the median debt sits at $27,000. This means students graduate with a manageable debt load relative to their earning potential. Those who thrive here tend to be those who are passionate about their studies and willing to engage fully with the community, making the most of the opportunities available to them.
Rankings
- #10 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Pennsylvania
- #10 Best Online Education Programs in Pennsylvania
- #11 Best Online Business Programs in Pennsylvania
- #11 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Pennsylvania
- #28 Best Communications Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #30 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #41 Best Online Bachelor's in Engineering
- #41 Best Online Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering
Can I Get In?
How selective Point Park University 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 Point Park University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Point Park University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 97%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 22. The graduation rate is roughly 59%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 97%
- Retention Rate
- 74%
- ACT Midpoint
- 22
- Full-Time Faculty
- 31%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,211
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.57
- First-Gen Students
- 29%
- Applicants
- 6,033
- Admitted
- 4,950
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Point Park University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 10% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.
- Yield Rate
- 10%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 23%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 4%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 27% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
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 Point Park University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Point Park University is $39,570, 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 $25,942. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $22,436 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $39,570
- Out-of-State
- $39,570
- Avg Net Price
- $25,942
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 39%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 74%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $22,436
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $22,064
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $22,362
- Family Income $110K+
- $29,813
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 Point Park University — 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 Point Park University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Point Park University earn a median of $45,856, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,906
- 8 Years
- $44,369
- 10 Years
- $45,856
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.59x
- Earning > $25K
- 59%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (306)
- 49%
- 100% (306)
- 49%
- 100% (306)
- 49%
- 100% (306)
- 49%
How Point 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 Point Park University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Point Park University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,942/year ($103,768 total). Graduates earn $45,856 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,209,268 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,105,500 (11.7× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, 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)
- $103,768
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,209,268
- Net Return
- $1,105,500
- ROI Multiple
- 11.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $25,942
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- 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 Point Park University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Point Park University 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 1.54%, well above the typical college. About 8.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $79,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.54%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 17.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 8.8%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $107,605
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $9,716,612
- Investment Income
- $-4,243,149
Top Programs
The fields Point Park 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.
- Visual & Performing Arts 34% $28,214 early-career
- Business & Marketing 20% $53,400 early-career
- Psychology 8% $31,312 early-career
- Communications 8% $47,548 early-career
- Criminal Justice 7% $43,355 early-career
- Education 3% $39,121 early-career
- Engineering 2%
- Culinary & Personal Services 2% $41,658 early-career
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 Point Park University'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
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Point Park University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Point Park University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 97%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 22. The graduation rate is roughly 59%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Point Park University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Point Park University is $39,570, 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 $25,942. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $22,436 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Point Park University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Point Park University earn a median of $45,856, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Point Park University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Point Park University 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 1.54%, well above the typical college. About 8.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $79,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Point Park 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 Point Park 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 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Is Point Park University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 27% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Point Park University (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Point Park University?
About 10% of admitted students choose to enroll at Point Park University — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Point Park University.
- Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa, OK · Close peer56% grad $46,885 earn 99% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Benedictine CollegeAtchison, KS · Close peer63% grad $53,175 earn 98% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityWest Palm Beach, FL · Close peer57% grad $49,232 earn 82% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Oklahoma Christian UniversityEdmond, OK · Close peer55% grad $49,203 earn 97% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Charleston Southern UniversityCharleston, SC · Close peer48% grad $45,898 earn 96% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Everglades UniversityBoca Raton, FL · Close peer59% grad $47,597 earn 81% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Point Park 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 Point Park 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 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note