More selective than 77% 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 $28,505. College Scorecard.
Higher than 24% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 31% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 6% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 20% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Lincoln University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,987 applicants, Lincoln University admitted 4,692 and 551 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 820–960 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Lincoln University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Pennsylvania residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, 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 Lincoln University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Lincoln 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 | $14,011 | $60,387 | 8.2 years |
| $30–48k | $13,000 | $56,030 | 7.6 years |
| $48–75k | $15,641 | $67,413 | 9.1 years |
| $75–110k | $19,881 | $85,687 | 11.6 years |
| $110k+ | $21,303 | $91,816 | 12.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (39% 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 ($43,167) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,370 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.
Lincoln University majors, earnings & careers
Lincoln University offers 34 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Business & Finance · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Lincoln University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $74,652 | $31,000 |
| Biology | $55,431 | $25,219 |
| Criminal Justice | $54,632 | $35,000 |
| Health Sciences | $51,056 | $34,375 |
| Human Services | $50,390 | $37,500 |
| Sociology | $50,141 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $49,412 | $28,000 |
| English | $49,159 | — |
Quick list of all 34 majors
- Accounting—
- Anthropology—
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$55,431
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$36,544
- Business Administration$48,706
- Chemistry—
- Computer and Information Sciences$49,412
- Criminal Justice$54,632
- Engineering Science—
- English$49,159
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance—
- Health Sciences$51,056
- History—
- Human Services$50,390
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing$74,652
- Philosophy—
- Physical Sciences—
- Physics—
- Political Science$47,374
- Psychology—
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Psychology (Research)—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology$50,141
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
— 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 →Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% 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, 18 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Chester County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Chester County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Lincoln University with similar schools
Similar public 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln University | 66% | $14,977 | 44% | $43,167 | This school |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | — | $14,265 | 41% | $37,837 | |
| University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 89% | $15,350 | 48% | $66,125 | |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | — | $25,110 | 53% | $52,567 | |
| University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg | 95% | $17,945 | 40% | $66,125 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Lincoln University would cost you $712 more per year than Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Lincoln University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,608).
- Lincoln University gives aided families $1,011 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Lincoln University | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,512 | $10,904 | +$1,608 |
| Books & supplies | $1,597 | $100 | +$1,497 |
| Housing & meals | $11,060 | $11,016 | +$44 |
| Personal & travel | $3,336 | $4,832 | −$1,496 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | $0 | −$70 | +$70 |
| Sticker price | $28,505 | $26,782 | +$1,723 |
| Average grants | −$13,528 | −$12,517 | −$1,011 |
| You pay | $14,977 | $14,265 | +$712 |
“+” means Lincoln 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 Lincoln University
What is the Lincoln University acceptance rate?
Lincoln University accepts 66% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,692 of 5,987 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 820–960 on the SAT.
How much does Lincoln University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $28,505 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,977 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $14,011 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,303.
How much do Lincoln University graduates earn?
Former Lincoln University students earn a median $43,167 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Lincoln University graduation rate?
44% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year.
How long does a Lincoln University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Lincoln University costs about $67,413 after grants ($15,641 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $43,167 ten years after starting, $7,370 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 9.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Lincoln University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Lincoln University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Lincoln University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/lincoln-university-pa (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).