Wesleyan University
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Why Wesleyan University Matters
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Middletown, CT and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions and 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 Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 3,067
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Psychology, Visual & Performing Arts, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Wesleyan 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
Highly selective — admits about 16% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1415–1540. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $30,177 a year after grants and scholarships — 76% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $73,897 ten years after enrolling — 81% above the typical college, against $17,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 29% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.50 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Wesleyan University has a graduation rate of 92%, highlighting its commitment to student success. This high rate indicates that most students who enroll complete their degrees, which is a key factor for those evaluating college options.
Earnings data shows that graduates earn an average of $73,897 ten years after starting their studies. This figure suggests that a Wesleyan degree can lead to solid financial outcomes, though specific mobility data is not available. The school serves a diverse group of students, reflected in its Pell Grant rate of 14%, which indicates a commitment to supporting low-income students.
The net price to attend Wesleyan is $30,177, with a median debt of $17,000 for graduates. This financial landscape suggests that while the cost is significant, many students manage to graduate with relatively low debt. Students who thrive here are likely those interested in disciplines such as social sciences, psychology, and the arts, where they can engage deeply in their studies and benefit from the university's supportive environment.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Wesleyan 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 Wesleyan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Middletown, Connecticut, Wesleyan University keeps a competitive admissions bar, accepting about 16% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,501. 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 Wesleyan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Wesleyan University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $70,342 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 $30,177 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,871 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $17,000.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Wesleyan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wesleyan University earn a median of $73,897 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Wesleyan 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 Wesleyan University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Wesleyan University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $30,177/year ($120,708 total). Graduates earn $73,897 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,904,520 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,783,812 (15.8× your investment). The median debt is $17,000, 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 Wesleyan University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wesleyan 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 1.96%, well above the typical college. About 4.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 46.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $165,300, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Wesleyan 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 Wesleyan University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Wesleyan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
As a private institution in Middletown, Connecticut, Wesleyan University keeps a competitive admissions bar, accepting about 16% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,501. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 92%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Wesleyan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Wesleyan University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $70,342 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 $30,177 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,871 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $17,000.
Is Wesleyan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Wesleyan University earn a median of $73,897 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Does Wesleyan University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Wesleyan 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 1.96%, well above the typical college. About 4.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 46.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $165,300, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Wesleyan 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 Wesleyan University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.50 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Compare Wesleyan University
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Wesleyan University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Wesleyan 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 Wesleyan University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.50 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note