Villanova University
#1 Best Communications Colleges in PennsylvaniaBottom 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 #1 in Best Communications Colleges in Pennsylvania.
Every $1 spent returns $14.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,288,047.
Quick Degree Finder
Find an Accredited Program
Accepting applicants in this field now.
Results are sponsored program matches from BestColleges, our advertising partner. Privacy Terms
What The Data Says
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
Graduates earn 146% more than the national college median.
A 92% graduation rate — 61% above the national average.
Every $1 invested returns $14.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
Why Villanova University Matters
Villanova University is a private research university in Villanova, PA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions, a strong research base, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 6,938
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Health Professions
Why students choose Villanova 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
Selective — admits about 27% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1395–1510. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $43,756 a year after grants and scholarships — 155% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $100,423 ten years after enrolling — 146% above the typical college, against $25,874 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 58% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
At Villanova University, students can expect a tight-knit campus environment with an enrollment of just under 7,000. This university is a great fit for those pursuing degrees in Business and Marketing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Health Professions, and Communications. With an acceptance rate of 27%, it attracts motivated students who are ready to engage deeply in their studies and community.
Looking ahead, graduates from Villanova see impressive outcomes. The average earnings a decade after graduation sit at $100,423, which speaks volumes about the value of a Villanova degree in today’s job market. The school's strong graduation rate of 92% indicates that students not only enroll but also complete their degrees, setting them up for success in their chosen fields.
When it comes to the financial side, the net price after financial aid is $43,756, which is important to consider alongside the median debt level of $25,874. This suggests that while the costs can be significant, many students manage to navigate their financial responsibilities effectively. Those who thrive here are often driven, engaged, and ready to leverage the resources Villanova offers to propel their careers forward.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Villanova 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 Villanova University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Villanova, Pennsylvania, Villanova University reviews applicants selectively, with an acceptance rate near 27%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,460. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 92%.
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 Villanova University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Villanova University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $67,776 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $43,756 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,823 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $25,874.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Villanova University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Villanova University earn a median of $100,423 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Villanova 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 Villanova University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Villanova University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $43,756/year ($175,024 total). Graduates earn $100,423 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,463,071 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,288,047 (14.1× your investment). The median debt is $25,874, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 92% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
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 Villanova University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Villanova 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 1.32%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower — only about 2.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 58% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $159,900, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Villanova University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 47 patents tied to its graduates.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Villanova University 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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Villanova University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Villanova University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
As a private institution in Villanova, Pennsylvania, Villanova University reviews applicants selectively, with an acceptance rate near 27%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,460. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 92%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Villanova University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Villanova University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $67,776 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $43,756 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,823 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $25,874.
Is Villanova University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Villanova University earn a median of $100,423 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Does Villanova University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Villanova 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 1.32%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower — only about 2.3% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 58% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $159,900, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Villanova 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 Villanova University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.84 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Compare Villanova University
Show all 99 comparisons →
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Villanova University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Villanova 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 Villanova University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.84 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note