Union College
#4 Highest-Paying Colleges for Psychology- Graduation Rate
- 83% A-
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $88,604 A+
- Top 2% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $34,561 F
- 102% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 44% A-
- Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 20.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.6 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Highest-Paying Colleges for Psychology.
Every $1 spent returns $20.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,714,566.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 117% more than the national college median.
-
A 83% graduation rate — 45% above the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $20.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Union College Matters
Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 2% of all U.S. colleges.
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
- 2,046
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Engineering, Biology & Biomedical, Humanities
Why students choose Union 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
Selective — admits about 44% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1310–1480. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $34,561 a year after grants and scholarships — 102% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $88,604 ten years after enrolling — 117% above the typical college, against $25,337 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.83 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Union College is a solid choice for students interested in a diverse range of studies, particularly in social sciences, engineering, biology, and psychology. With an enrollment of about 2,046 students and an acceptance rate of 44%, it strikes a balance between being accessible and maintaining a close-knit community. The graduation rate of 83% reflects a supportive environment where students tend to thrive and complete their degrees.
When it comes to what happens after graduation, students from Union College can expect a median earning of $88,604 within ten years of finishing their degree. This level of earning power suggests that graduates are well-prepared for the job market, with many finding roles that allow them to grow both personally and professionally. The affordability factor also plays a role in this, as financial burdens are important to consider when thinking about long-term success.
The financial bottom line shows a net price of $34,561 after aid, which is manageable compared to the potential earnings. With a median debt of $25,337, students can graduate with a reasonable financial outlook, especially relative to their earning potential. Those who tend to thrive at Union are likely to be motivated, engaged, and ready to take on the academic rigor of the programs offered, all while enjoying the vibrant community atmosphere in Schenectady.
Rankings
- #4 Highest-Paying Colleges for Psychology
- #17 Best Engineering Colleges in New York
- #27 Highest-Paying Colleges for Visual
- #27 Highest-Paying Colleges for Graphic Design
- #30 Highest-Paying Colleges for Physical Sciences
- #30 Highest-Paying Colleges for Environmental Science
- #36 Best Biology Colleges in New York
- #37 Best Psychology Colleges in New York
Can I Get In?
How selective Union 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 Union College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Schenectady, New York, Union College reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 44%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,395. The graduation rate is roughly 83%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 44%
- Retention Rate
- 90%
- SAT Average
- 1395
- ACT Midpoint
- 30
- SAT Range
- 1310–1480
- ACT Range
- 29–33
- Full-Time Faculty
- 90%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,031
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.57
- First-Gen Students
- 13%
- Applicants
- 8,458
- Admitted
- 3,934
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 Union College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Union College is $69,039, 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 $34,561. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,776 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,337 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $69,039
- Out-of-State
- $69,039
- Avg Net Price
- $34,561
- Median Debt
- $25,337
- Pell Grant Rate
- 14%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 44%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $11,776
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $16,415
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $23,941
- Family Income $110K+
- $45,017
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Union College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Union College earn a median of $88,604, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $63,219
- 8 Years
- $81,488
- 10 Years
- $88,604
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.29x
- Earning > $25K
- 82%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (455)
- 80%
- 100% (455)
- 80%
- 100% (455)
- 80%
- 100% (455)
- 80%
How Union Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Union College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Union College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $34,561/year ($138,244 total). Graduates earn $88,604 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,852,810 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,714,566 (20.6× your investment). The median debt is $25,337, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 83% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $138,244
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,852,810
- Net Return
- $2,714,566
- ROI Multiple
- 20.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $34,561
- Median Debt
- $25,337
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 83%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $4,026,153
- Investment Income
- $-85,883,169
Top Programs
The fields Union College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Social Sciences 21%
- Engineering 17%
- Biology & Biomedical 16%
- Humanities 8%
- Psychology 7%
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Physical Sciences 6%
- Visual & Performing Arts 4%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Union College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- 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
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Union College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Schenectady, New York, Union College reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 44%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,395. The graduation rate is roughly 83%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Union College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Union College is $69,039, 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 $34,561. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,776 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,337 in federal student loans.
Is Union College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Union College earn a median of $88,604, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
How Connected Is Union 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 Union College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.83, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Compare Union College
- vs Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- vs Stanford University
- vs Babson College
- vs Bentley University
- vs Carnegie Mellon University
- vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- vs University of Pennsylvania
- vs Princeton University
- vs Cornell University
- vs Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- vs Santa Clara University
- vs Western Governors University
- vs Stevens Institute of Technology
- vs Boston College
- vs Georgetown University
- vs Columbia University in the City of New York
- vs Lehigh University
- vs Harvard University
- vs University of Notre Dame
- vs Yale University
- vs Villanova University
- vs University of Southern California
- vs Southern New Hampshire University
- vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Show all 99 comparisons →
- vs Duke University
- vs University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- vs Dartmouth College
- vs Northeastern University
- vs Texas A&M University-College Station
- vs Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- vs Brown University
- vs University of Maryland-College Park
- vs Colorado School of Mines
- vs University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- vs University of Virginia-Main Campus
- vs University of Chicago
- vs Washington and Lee University
- vs New York University
- vs Vanderbilt University
- vs The University of Texas at Austin
- vs Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- vs Northwestern University
- vs University of California-Berkeley
- vs George Washington University
- vs Bucknell University
- vs Rice University
- vs Purdue University-Main Campus
- vs Boston University
- vs Lafayette College
- vs University of Wisconsin-Madison
- vs Johns Hopkins University
- vs Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- vs College of the Holy Cross
- vs Washington University in St Louis
- vs Williams College
- vs Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- vs Case Western Reserve University
- vs Trinity College
- vs University of Florida
- vs Brigham Young University
- vs Fairfield University
- vs Bryant University
- vs Providence College
- vs Fordham University
- vs Tufts University
- vs Drexel University
- vs Colgate University
- vs University of San Francisco
- vs University of California-San Diego
- vs Wellesley College
- vs Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
- vs Clarkson University
- vs Binghamton University
- vs California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- vs Bowdoin College
- vs Michigan State University
- vs University of California-Los Angeles
- vs Syracuse University
- vs University of Georgia
- vs Emory University
- vs University of Central Florida
- vs George Mason University
- vs New Jersey Institute of Technology
- vs University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- vs Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- vs Barnard College
- vs Pepperdine University
- vs Quinnipiac University
- vs Davidson College
- vs Ohio State University-Main Campus
- vs Clemson University
- vs Swarthmore College
- vs University of Connecticut
- vs Colby College
- vs Loyola University Maryland
- vs University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- vs University of Portland
- vs Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Union College.
- Trinity CollegeHartford, CT · Close peer83% grad $90,779 earn 29% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA · Close peer83% grad $75,951 earn 44% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Connecticut CollegeNew London, CT · Close peer83% grad $75,001 earn 37% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA · Close peer88% grad $91,410 earn 31% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Dickinson CollegeCarlisle, PA · Close peer82% grad $70,204 earn 42% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, PA · Close peer83% grad $71,517 earn 39% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Union 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 Union College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.83, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note