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CollegeRanker
Private nonprofit Scranton, PA · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
A Earnings A- Graduation C Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
80% A-
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$74,652 A
Top 6% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$32,568 F
90% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
81% C-
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +83% vs avg
Graduation +40% vs avg
Net Price 90% vs avg
Mobility Top 45%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 14.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $14.1 over 20 years. Ranked #8 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Pennsylvania.

14.1× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $14.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,708,781.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduates earn 83% more than the national college median.

  3. A 80% graduation rate — 40% above the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $14.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why University of Scranton Matters

University of Scranton is a private university in Scranton, PA 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 6% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
3,554
Setting
Urban
Designations
30
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Education

Why students choose University of Scranton

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 6% of colleges
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 46% overall
A
Earnings
$74,652 median
C-
Value
2.3× net price
F
Affordability
$32,568/yr net
A-
Graduation
80% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.6% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Selectivity
81% admit rate
D+
Diversity
0.43 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 3,500 students, the University of Scranton is a great fit for those looking for a supportive community. It attracts students who are interested in programs like Business and Marketing, Health Professions, and Criminal Justice. The school’s 81% acceptance rate makes it accessible, while the 80% graduation rate indicates that most students who start here find a way to finish strong.

Looking ahead to life after graduation, the earning potential is promising. Graduates can expect to make around $74,652 a decade after completing their degree. This figure highlights the value of a degree from Scranton, especially considering the affordability of the education. The cost of attending, while not negligible, positions itself reasonably against the financial returns many students see post-graduation.

When it comes to the numbers that matter most, the net price of attending Scranton is approximately $32,568 after aid, with a median debt load of $27,000. This balance suggests that students can thrive here, especially those who are motivated and take advantage of the resources available. The university's environment fosters a sense of belonging, making it a good choice for those seeking both academic and personal growth.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of Scranton 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 University of Scranton? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, University of Scranton admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 81%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,237. The graduation rate is roughly 80%.

Acceptance Rate
81%
Retention Rate
85%
SAT Average
1237
ACT Midpoint
26
SAT Range
1160–1318
ACT Range
25–30
Full-Time Faculty
69%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,510
Student–Faculty Ratio
12:1
Diversity Index
0.43
First-Gen Students
20%
Applicants
9,530
Admitted
8,039

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of Scranton 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. 12% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.

Yield Rate
12%
of admits enroll
Submitted SAT
29%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
4%
of enrolled freshmen

There is an early lane. University offers Early Action, so you can apply ahead of the regular deadline and hear back sooner without committing to enroll.

Test-optional, in practice. Only about 33% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.

Source: University of Scranton's Common Data Set, 2025-26 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

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 University of Scranton? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Scranton is $53,983, 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 $32,568. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,896 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$53,983
Out-of-State
$53,983
Avg Net Price
$32,568
Median Debt
$27,000
Pell Grant Rate
24%
Federal Loan Rate
64%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$23,896
Family Income $30K–$48K
$23,407
Family Income $48K–$75K
$23,912
Family Income $110K+
$39,348

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 University of Scranton — 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 University of Scranton Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Scranton earn a median of $74,652, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$62,921
8 Years
$71,098
10 Years
$74,652
Debt-to-Earnings
0.36x
Earning > $25K
80%

Earnings Trajectory

$62,921 6yr $71,098 8yr $74,652 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (782)
74%
100% (782)
74%
100% (782)
74%
100% (782)
74%

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation80%Earnings 10yr$75KNet Price$33KRetention85%Median Debt$27KPell Grant Rate24%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$24K$0-30K$23K$30-48K$24K$48-75K$39K$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%3.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%48.5%MOBILITY1.55%

College ROI Calculator

Is University of Scranton Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, University of Scranton delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $32,568/year ($130,272 total). Graduates earn $74,652 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,839,053 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,708,781 (14.1× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 80% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$130,272
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,839,053
Net Return
$1,708,781
ROI Multiple
14.1×
Cost Per Year
$32,568
Median Debt
$27,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
80%

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 University of Scranton Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Scranton 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 1.55%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.2% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 48.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $120,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.55%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
48.5%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
3.2%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$163,310
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of Scranton? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Scranton. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, 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 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.79
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.5%
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

Investment Income
$-12,083,077

Top Programs

The fields University of Scranton 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 University of Scranton? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, University of Scranton admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 81%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,237. The graduation rate is roughly 80%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Scranton? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Scranton is $53,983, 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 $32,568. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,896 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.

Is University of Scranton Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Scranton earn a median of $74,652, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does University of Scranton Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Scranton 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 1.55%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.2% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 48.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $120,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is University of Scranton? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Scranton. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, 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 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Does University of Scranton offer Early Decision?

No. University of Scranton does not report a binding Early Decision plan, though it does offer a non-binding Early Action option (2025-26 Common Data Set).

Is University of Scranton really test-optional?

In practice, yes. Only about 33% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of Scranton (2025-26 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of Scranton?

About 12% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of Scranton — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

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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.

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