More selective than 41% 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 $49,327. College Scorecard.
Higher than 50% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 61% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 19% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 43% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Carlow University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,326 applicants, Carlow University admitted 1,155 and 227 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 960–1168 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Carlow 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 Carlow University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Carlow University took 4.3 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 | $17,901 | $76,437 | 5.0 years |
| $30–48k | $15,748 | $67,244 | 4.4 years |
| $48–75k | $19,517 | $83,338 | 5.5 years |
| $75–110k | $21,601 | $92,236 | 6.0 years |
| $110k+ | $25,214 | $107,664 | 7.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($51,051) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,254 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.
Carlow University majors, earnings & careers
Carlow University offers 34 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Business & Finance · 3
- Education · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Arts & Design · 1
Highest-earning majors at Carlow University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $134,677 | $27,000 |
| Nursing | $86,258 | $28,500 |
| Accounting | $76,099 | $26,500 |
| Business Administration | $65,696 | $27,351 |
| Social Work | $47,486 | — |
| Psychology | $44,786 | $29,552 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $42,498 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 34 majors
- Accounting$76,099
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Biology$134,677
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$65,696
- Chemistry—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminology—
- Data Analytics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$42,498
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Health Administration—
- History—
- Human Resources—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$86,258
- Philosophy—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$44,786
- Public Health—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Social Work$47,486
- Sociology—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders—
- Studio Art—
- Theology / Ministry—
- 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 →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
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
Living in Pittsburgh
Overall prices in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,389. Housing costs 28% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 41 inches of rain a year, 25 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (very high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Allegheny County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Allegheny County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Carlow 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlow University | 87% | $20,786 | 60% | $51,051 | This school |
| Cairn University-Langhorne | 88% | $27,642 | 60% | $44,172 | |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | 90% | $27,483 | 57% | $67,145 | |
| Cedar Crest College | 84% | $18,659 | 60% | $59,460 | |
| King's College | 93% | $23,093 | 60% | $59,498 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Carlow University would cost you $6,856 less per year than Cairn University-Langhorne, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Carlow University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,865).
- Carlow University gives aided families $9,950 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Carlow University | Cairn University-Langhorne | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $35,874 | $34,009 | +$1,865 |
| Books & supplies | $2,000 | $1,145 | +$855 |
| Housing & meals | $13,406 | $12,234 | +$1,172 |
| Personal & travel | $2,382 | $2,103 | +$279 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,335 | −$3,258 | −$1,077 |
| Sticker price | $49,327 | $46,233 | +$3,094 |
| Average grants | −$28,541 | −$18,591 | −$9,950 |
| You pay | $20,786 | $27,642 | −$6,856 |
“+” means Carlow 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 Carlow University
What is the Carlow University acceptance rate?
Carlow University accepts 87% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,155 of 1,326 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 960–1168 on the SAT.
How much does Carlow University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $49,327 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $20,786 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $17,901 and families earning $110k+ pay $25,214.
How much do Carlow University graduates earn?
Former Carlow University students earn a median $51,051 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Carlow University graduation rate?
60% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% return for their second year.
How long does a Carlow University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Carlow University costs about $83,338 after grants ($19,517 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $51,051 ten years after starting, $15,254 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 5.5 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: “Carlow University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/carlow-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).