Widener University
#6 Best Nursing Colleges in Pennsylvania- Graduation Rate
- 66% C+
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $70,920 A
- Top 7% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $25,759 D
- 50% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 71% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 15.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.7 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Nursing Colleges in Pennsylvania.
Every $1 spent returns $15.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,511,110.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 74% more than the national college median.
-
Social mobility rate of 2.01% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
-
Every $1 invested returns $15.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Widener University Matters
Widener University is a private doctoral / professional university in Chester, 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 7% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Doctoral / Professional University
- Carnegie Class
- Doctoral/Professional
- Enrollment
- 2,951
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Engineering, Psychology
Why students choose Widener 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
Competitive — admits about 71% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1080–1290. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,759 a year after grants and scholarships — 50% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $70,920 ten years after enrolling — 74% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 27% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.69 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Widener University is a great fit for students looking for a supportive environment with a focus on practical skills and career readiness. With an acceptance rate of 71%, it attracts a diverse group, and many students choose to study in popular fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Engineering, Psychology, and Biology & Biomedical. The hands-on experience and dedicated faculty can really help students feel prepared for the workforce.
After graduation, students can expect solid earning potential, with a median income of $70,920 a decade post-graduation. This reflects the value of the degrees offered and indicates that many graduates find their footing in their chosen careers. Affordability plays a role here too, as about a third of students receive Pell Grants, which can help ease the financial burden. This makes the investment in education a bit more manageable, especially for those who may need additional support.
When it comes to the bottom line, the net price after aid at Widener is around $25,759, and the median debt for graduates is approximately $27,000. These figures suggest that while the cost can be significant, many students leave with a reasonable amount of debt. Those who thrive here are typically motivated and engaged, ready to take advantage of the resources and community support available.
Rankings
- #6 Best Nursing Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #8 Best Engineering Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #20 Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #20 Best MBA Programs in Pennsylvania
- #28 Best Online Nursing Programs in Pennsylvania
- #29 Best Business Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #30 Best Psychology Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #32 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Pennsylvania
Can I Get In?
How selective Widener 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 Widener University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Chester, Pennsylvania, Widener University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 71%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,180. The graduation rate is roughly 66%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 71%
- Retention Rate
- 78%
- SAT Average
- 1180
- SAT Range
- 1080–1290
- Full-Time Faculty
- 39%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,979
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.64
- First-Gen Students
- 30%
- Applicants
- 5,961
- Admitted
- 5,227
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 Widener University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Widener University is $55,730, 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 $25,759. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,200 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $55,730
- Out-of-State
- $55,730
- Avg Net Price
- $25,759
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 33%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 72%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $21,200
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $22,275
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $22,514
- Family Income $110K+
- $32,296
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 Widener University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Widener University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Widener University earn a median of $70,920, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $63,375
- 8 Years
- $65,135
- 10 Years
- $70,920
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.38x
- Earning > $25K
- 78%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (392)
- 53%
- 100% (392)
- 53%
- 100% (392)
- 53%
- 100% (392)
- 53%
How Widener 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 Widener University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Widener University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,759/year ($103,036 total). Graduates earn $70,920 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,614,146 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,511,110 (15.7× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 66% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $103,036
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,614,146
- Net Return
- $1,511,110
- ROI Multiple
- 15.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $25,759
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 66%
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 Widener University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Widener 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 2.01%, among the highest in the country. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 33.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $96,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.01%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 33.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $130,430
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $9,063,593
Top Programs
The fields Widener 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.
- Health Professions 36% $82,013 early-career
- Business & Marketing 19% $68,105 early-career
- Engineering 15% $80,393 early-career
- Psychology 9% $41,235 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 6% $46,136 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 3% $61,913 early-career
- Education 2% $42,293 early-career
- Humanities 2%
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Widener University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Widener University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Chester, Pennsylvania, Widener University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 71%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,180. The graduation rate is roughly 66%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Widener University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Widener University is $55,730, 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 $25,759. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $21,200 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Widener University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Widener University earn a median of $70,920, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Widener University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Widener 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 2.01%, among the highest in the country. About 6.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 33.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $96,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Widener 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 Widener University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.69, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Widener University.
- Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst, IL · Close peer68% grad $61,462 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Western New England UniversitySpringfield, MA · Close peer64% grad $73,157 earn 83% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rider UniversityLawrenceville, NJ · Close peer62% grad $62,208 earn 79% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar net price
- St. Joseph's University-New YorkBrooklyn, NY · Close peer67% grad $63,905 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- St. John Fisher UniversityRochester, NY · Close peer74% grad $66,944 earn 66% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of La VerneLa Verne, CA · Close peer64% grad $65,464 earn 71% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Widener 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 Widener University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.69, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note