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Washington Adventist University

#3 Best Nursing Colleges in Maryland
Private nonprofit Takoma Park, MD · Suburban · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
A Diversity A- Earnings A- Selectivity
Graduation Rate
33% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$64,249 A-
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$18,526 C-
Close to the national average
Acceptance Rate
46% A-
Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Earnings +58% vs avg
Graduation -42% vs avg
Net Price 8% vs avg
Mobility Top 43%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 36.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $36.0 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Best Nursing Colleges in Maryland.

36.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $36.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,595,588.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 58% more than the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 33% — 42% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $36.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Washington Adventist University Matters

Washington Adventist University is a private university in Takoma Park, MD 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 University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
452
Setting
Suburban
Designations
HSI · 95
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Psychology

Why students choose Washington Adventist University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 36% overall
A-
Earnings
$64,249 median
B-
Value
3.5× net price
C-
Affordability
$18,526/yr net
D
Graduation
33% graduate
C+
Social Mobility
1.6% climb Q1→Q5
A-
Selectivity
46% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.78 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Washington Adventist University is a solid option for students seeking a close-knit community with a focus on health professions, business, and the humanities. With an enrollment of 452, the university offers a personal touch that larger institutions often can't match. Students here often dive into programs like biology, psychology, and marketing, which are designed to prepare them for meaningful careers in various fields.

Looking at life after graduation, the statistics are encouraging. Graduates earn a median salary of $64,249 a decade after finishing their degree. This number reflects the potential for upward mobility, especially for those who are proactive in their career paths. While a significant portion of students—37%—receive Pell Grants, which help make education more accessible, it’s essential to consider how this financial support impacts overall outcomes.

When we talk about the cost, the net price after aid stands at $18,526, which is quite manageable for many families. However, the median debt load of $30,500 is something to think about as students plan for their financial futures. Those who tend to thrive at Washington Adventist University are often those who appreciate a supportive environment and are committed to making the most of their educational experience.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Washington Adventist University 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 Washington Adventist University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Washington Adventist University, located in Takoma Park, Maryland, reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 46%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 980. The graduation rate is roughly 33%.

Acceptance Rate
46%
Retention Rate
64%
SAT Average
980
SAT Range
860–1130
Full-Time Faculty
26%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,208
Student–Faculty Ratio
6:1
Diversity Index
0.78
First-Gen Students
35%
Applicants
1,223
Admitted
629

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 Washington Adventist University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Washington Adventist University is $26,604, 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 $18,526. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,534 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $30,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$26,604
Out-of-State
$26,604
Avg Net Price
$18,526
Median Debt
$30,500
Pell Grant Rate
37%
Federal Loan Rate
45%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$17,534
Family Income $30K–$48K
$15,160
Family Income $48K–$75K
$19,311
Family Income $110K+
$21,480

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 Washington Adventist University — 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 Washington Adventist University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Washington Adventist University earn a median of $64,249, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$40,114
8 Years
$50,919
10 Years
$64,249
Debt-to-Earnings
0.47x
Earning > $25K
64%

Earnings Trajectory

$40,114 6yr $50,919 8yr $64,249 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (22)
20%
100% (22)
20%
100% (22)
20%
100% (22)
20%

How Washington Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation33%Earnings 10yr$64KNet Price$19KRetention64%Median Debt$31KPell Grant Rate37%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$18K$0-30K$15K$30-48K$19K$48-75K$21K$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%8.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%18.9%MOBILITY1.60%

College ROI Calculator

Is Washington Adventist University Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Washington Adventist University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $18,526/year ($74,104 total). Graduates earn $64,249 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,669,692 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,595,588 (36.0× your investment). The median debt is $30,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 33% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$74,104
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,669,692
Net Return
$2,595,588
ROI Multiple
36.0×
Cost Per Year
$18,526
Median Debt
$30,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
33%

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 Washington Adventist University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Washington Adventist 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 1.60%, well above the typical college. About 8.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $74,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.60%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
18.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
8.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$101,763
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Washington Adventist 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 Washington Adventist University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.62, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.62
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.2%
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

Endowment
$2,888,883
Federal Grants
$2,127,478
Investment Income
$25,489

Top Programs

The fields Washington Adventist 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Washington Adventist University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Washington Adventist University, located in Takoma Park, Maryland, reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 46%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 980. The graduation rate is roughly 33%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Washington Adventist University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Washington Adventist University is $26,604, 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 $18,526. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $17,534 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $30,500 in federal student loans.

Is Washington Adventist University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Washington Adventist University earn a median of $64,249, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Washington Adventist University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Washington Adventist 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 1.60%, well above the typical college. About 8.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $74,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Washington Adventist 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 Washington Adventist University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.62, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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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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