More selective than 57% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $64,645. College Scorecard.
Higher than 63% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 73% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 39% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 65% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Arcadia University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,688 applicants, Arcadia University admitted 5,296 and 420 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1065–1265 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Arcadia University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What Arcadia University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Arcadia University took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $23,127 | $94,358 | 4.2 years |
| $30–48k | $25,388 | $103,583 | 4.6 years |
| $48–75k | $25,978 | $105,990 | 4.7 years |
| $75–110k | $28,654 | $116,908 | 5.2 years |
| $110k+ | $34,339 | $140,103 | 6.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (59% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($58,336) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,539 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Arcadia University majors, earnings & careers
Arcadia University offers 48 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Business & Finance · 8
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Health & Medicine · 5
- Science & Math · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Education · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at Arcadia University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $86,116 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $73,901 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $73,377 | $27,000 |
| Mathematics | $66,995 | — |
| Health Administration | $59,441 | $27,000 |
| International Business | $58,788 | $27,000 |
| History | $56,331 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $55,517 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 48 majors
- Accounting$73,901
- Anthropology—
- Area Studies—
- Biological and Physical Sciences—
- Biology$73,377
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration—
- Business Economics—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$40,740
- Computer and Information Sciences$86,116
- Criminology$47,772
- Data Science—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English$40,802
- Film and Photography—
- Finance—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration$59,441
- History$56,331
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies$53,307
- International Business$58,788
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies—
- Literature—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing—
- Mathematics$66,995
- Medical Illustration and Informatics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Philosophy—
- Physical Sciences, Other—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$55,517
- Public Health—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations—
- Studio Art$37,489
- Theatre$39,087
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Computer and Information Sciences → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Philadelphia
Overall prices in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,860. Housing costs 13% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 49 inches of rain a year, 8 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Montgomery County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Montgomery County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Arcadia University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia University | 80% | $29,466 | 67% | $58,336 | This school |
| Seton Hill University | 80% | $22,204 | 67% | $51,748 | |
| Lebanon Valley College | 84% | $26,979 | 65% | $62,621 | |
| Washington & Jefferson College | 81% | $25,002 | 70% | $67,918 | |
| Mercyhurst University | 81% | $19,444 | 60% | $47,452 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Arcadia University would cost you $7,262 more per year than Seton Hill University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Arcadia University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$6,666).
- Arcadia University gives aided families $1,200 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Arcadia University | Seton Hill University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $49,610 | $42,944 | +$6,666 |
| Books & supplies | $1,500 | $1,200 | +$300 |
| Housing & meals | $16,250 | $13,778 | +$2,472 |
| Personal & travel | $1,100 | $2,500 | −$1,400 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,815 | −$4,239 | +$424 |
| Sticker price | $64,645 | $56,183 | +$8,462 |
| Average grants | −$35,179 | −$33,979 | −$1,200 |
| You pay | $29,466 | $22,204 | +$7,262 |
“+” means Arcadia University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Arcadia University
What is the Arcadia University acceptance rate?
Arcadia University accepts 80% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 5,296 of 6,688 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1065–1265 on the SAT.
How much does Arcadia University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $64,645 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $29,466 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $23,127 and families earning $110k+ pay $34,339.
How much do Arcadia University graduates earn?
Former Arcadia University students earn a median $58,336 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Arcadia University graduation rate?
67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year.
How long does a Arcadia University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Arcadia University costs about $105,990 after grants ($25,978 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $58,336 ten years after starting, $22,539 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 4.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Arcadia University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/arcadia-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).