The College of Wooster
#2 Best Biology Colleges in Ohio- Graduation Rate
- 74% B
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $59,629 B+
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $23,458 D+
- 37% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 60% B
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 19.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.4 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Biology Colleges in Ohio.
Every $1 spent returns $19.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,723,860.
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 46% above the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $19.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.7%
- Top 34%
- Patents
- 36
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 70
- Downstream influence
Why The College of Wooster Matters
The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college in Wooster, 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 Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 1,730
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Biology & Biomedical, Computer Science & IT, Physical Sciences
Why students choose The College of Wooster
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 60% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1220–1460. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $23,458 a year after grants and scholarships — 37% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $59,629 ten years after enrolling — 46% above the typical college, against $26,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.7% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 91% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.68 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of about 1,730 students, the College of Wooster is a good fit for those who thrive in a close-knit environment. The acceptance rate of 60% indicates a welcoming atmosphere, making it accessible for a diverse range of students. Here, you’ll find strong programs in Biology and Biomedical studies, Social Sciences, Psychology, Computer Science, and Physical Sciences. These areas of study not only draw interest but also prepare students for meaningful careers in various fields.
After graduation, the average earnings for Wooster alumni sit at $59,629 a decade later. This figure is a solid indicator of the school’s effectiveness in preparing students for the job market. While we don’t have specific mobility data, the overall earning potential suggests that graduates tend to find their footing economically. This makes the investment in education feel worthwhile, especially considering the affordability associated with the school.
When it comes to the financials, the net price after aid is around $23,458, with a median debt of $26,500 for graduates. This suggests that while there is some debt, it’s manageable for many students. Those who tend to thrive here are often those who appreciate a supportive community and are engaged in their studies, taking advantage of the school's strong academic offerings.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective The College of Wooster 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 The College of Wooster? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
The College of Wooster, located in Wooster, Ohio, offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 60% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,353. The graduation rate is roughly 74%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 60%
- Retention Rate
- 82%
- SAT Average
- 1353
- ACT Midpoint
- 29
- SAT Range
- 1220–1460
- ACT Range
- 27–33
- Full-Time Faculty
- 83%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,909
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.59
- First-Gen Students
- 14%
- Applicants
- 7,251
- Admitted
- 4,080
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard The College of Wooster 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. 11% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.
- Yield Rate
- 11%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 25%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 25% 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 The College of Wooster? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at The College of Wooster is $61,640, 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 $23,458. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,512 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $61,640
- Out-of-State
- $61,640
- Avg Net Price
- $23,458
- Median Debt
- $26,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 21%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 45%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $12,512
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $14,032
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,941
- Family Income $110K+
- $32,223
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 The College of Wooster — 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 The College of Wooster Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of The College of Wooster earn a median of $59,629, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $43,895
- 8 Years
- $52,139
- 10 Years
- $59,629
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.44x
- Earning > $25K
- 64%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (383)
- 70%
- 100% (383)
- 70%
- 100% (383)
- 70%
- 100% (383)
- 70%
How The 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 The College of Wooster Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, The College of Wooster delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $23,458/year ($93,832 total). Graduates earn $59,629 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,817,692 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,723,860 (19.4× your investment). The median debt is $26,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 74% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $93,832
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,817,692
- Net Return
- $1,723,860
- ROI Multiple
- 19.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $23,458
- Median Debt
- $26,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 74%
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 The College of Wooster Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
The College of Wooster 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 0.71%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 3.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 20.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $108,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.71%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 20.1%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 3.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $146,870
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
The College of Wooster produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 36 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.70%
- Top 34% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 36
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 70
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 2.38%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $5,328,833
- Investment Income
- $-46,126,672
Top Programs
The fields The College of Wooster 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.
- Social Sciences 19% $57,082 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 19% $32,002 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 9%
- Physical Sciences 7% $40,390 early-career
- Psychology 6% $21,762 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 6% $19,799 early-career
- Communications 4% $46,136 early-career
- English & Literature 4% $33,980 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 The College of Wooster's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into The College of Wooster? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
The College of Wooster, located in Wooster, Ohio, offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 60% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,353. The graduation rate is roughly 74%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend The College of Wooster? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at The College of Wooster is $61,640, 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 $23,458. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,512 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,500 in federal student loans.
Is The College of Wooster Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of The College of Wooster earn a median of $59,629, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does The College of Wooster Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
The College of Wooster 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 0.71%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 3.5% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 20.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $108,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is The College of Wooster? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at The College of Wooster. Its economic connectedness score is 1.68, 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 14% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does The College of Wooster offer Early Decision?
No. The College of Wooster does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is The College of Wooster really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 25% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at The College of Wooster (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at The College of Wooster?
About 11% of admitted students choose to enroll at The College of Wooster — 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 The College of Wooster.
- Marywood UniversityScranton, PA · Close peer72% grad $55,817 earn 61% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, MN · Close peer76% grad $65,607 earn 61% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Augustana UniversitySioux Falls, SD · Close peer74% grad $59,217 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Saint Vincent CollegeLatrobe, PA · Close peer70% grad $59,982 earn 62% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Lawrence UniversityAppleton, WI · Close peer77% grad $55,789 earn 64% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL · Close peer76% grad $62,971 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is The College of Wooster? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at The College of Wooster. Its economic connectedness score is 1.68, 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 14% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note