More selective than 78% 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 $61,261. College Scorecard.
Higher than 55% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 66% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 25% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 48% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Chatham University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 4,169 applicants, Chatham University admitted 2,923 and 332 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1070–1295 on the SAT or 21–30 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Chatham 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 Chatham University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Chatham 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 | $22,675 | $93,421 | 5.6 years |
| $30–48k | $24,086 | $99,234 | 6.0 years |
| $48–75k | $26,051 | $107,330 | 6.5 years |
| $75–110k | $30,120 | $124,094 | 7.5 years |
| $110k+ | $33,636 | $138,580 | 8.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (60% 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 ($52,410) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,613 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.
Chatham University majors, earnings & careers
Chatham University offers 45 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 11
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Arts & Design · 6
- Business & Finance · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 1
- Engineering · 1
Highest-earning majors at Chatham University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $86,034 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $73,633 | $26,453 |
| Biology | $65,750 | $26,500 |
| Psychology | $56,980 | $21,853 |
| Communications | $42,204 | $19,500 |
Quick list of all 45 majors
- Accounting—
- Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies, Other—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$65,750
- Business Administration—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$42,204
- Criminology—
- Cultural Studies / Critical Theory and Analysis—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Graphic Communications—
- History—
- Human Biology—
- Intercultural / Multicultural and Diversity Studies—
- Interior Architecture—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$73,633
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems—
- Marketing—
- Mathematics—
- Mathematics and Statistics, Other—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$86,034
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$56,980
- Public Health—
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Social Work—
- Studio Art—
- Sustainability Studies—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- 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
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
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 Chatham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham University | 62% | $29,954 | 63% | $52,410 | This school |
| Saint Vincent College | 62% | $23,510 | 69% | $59,982 | |
| Geneva College | — | $25,890 | 61% | $50,004 | |
| Lancaster Bible College | 56% | $25,480 | 67% | $44,096 | |
| Marywood University | 61% | $23,388 | 72% | $55,817 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Chatham University would cost you $6,444 more per year than Saint Vincent College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Chatham University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$2,230).
- Saint Vincent College gives aided families $1,935 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Chatham University | Saint Vincent College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $44,626 | $42,396 | +$2,230 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,500 | −$500 |
| Housing & meals | $14,324 | $13,918 | +$406 |
| Personal & travel | $2,500 | $1,800 | +$700 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,189 | −$2,862 | +$1,673 |
| Sticker price | $61,261 | $56,752 | +$4,509 |
| Average grants | −$31,307 | −$33,242 | +$1,935 |
| You pay | $29,954 | $23,510 | +$6,444 |
“+” means Chatham 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 Chatham University
What is the Chatham University acceptance rate?
Chatham University accepts 62% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,923 of 4,169 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1070–1295 on the SAT or 21–30 on the ACT.
How much does Chatham University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $61,261 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $29,954 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $22,675 and families earning $110k+ pay $33,636.
How much do Chatham University graduates earn?
Former Chatham University students earn a median $52,410 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Chatham University graduation rate?
63% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year.
How long does a Chatham University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Chatham University costs about $107,330 after grants ($26,051 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $52,410 ten years after starting, $16,613 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 6.5 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: “Chatham University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/chatham-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).