More selective than 96% of Iowa colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $42,874. College Scorecard.
Higher than 0% of Iowa colleges we cover and 15% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 13% of Iowa colleges we cover and 38% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
William Penn University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,112 applicants, William Penn University admitted 634 and 296 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 880–1110 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
William Penn 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
What William Penn University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of William Penn 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 Iowa. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $20,608 | $88,820 | 7.2 years |
| $30–48k | $19,378 | $83,519 | 6.8 years |
| $48–75k | $20,560 | $88,614 | 7.2 years |
| $75–110k | $24,245 | $104,496 | 8.5 years |
| $110k+ | $25,916 | $111,698 | 9.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (22% 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 ($48,936) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,275 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.
William Penn University majors, earnings & careers
William Penn University offers 40 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 8
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Business & Finance · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Education · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at William Penn University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | $79,791 | $27,000 |
| Nursing | $76,625 | — |
| Biology | $53,683 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $49,929 | $27,443 |
| Sociology | $49,077 | $28,963 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $46,244 | $27,000 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,099 | $32,642 |
Quick list of all 40 majors
- Accounting—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Biology$53,683
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business—
- Business Administration$79,791
- Civil Engineering—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Engineering—
- Computer Science—
- Criminology—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$45,099
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Engineering / Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians, Other—
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians—
- English—
- Entrepreneurship—
- Film and Photography—
- History—
- Human Resources—
- Human Services—
- Industrial Engineering—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$46,244
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$76,625
- Political Science—
- Psychology$49,929
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology$49,077
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— 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 →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
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Oskaloosa
2 bedrooms $946.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 39 inches of rain a year, 24 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Mahaska County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Mahaska County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare William Penn University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Iowa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Penn University | 52% | $22,601 | 33% | $48,936 | This school |
| Briar Cliff University | — | $23,907 | 48% | $54,475 | |
| Allen College | — | — | — | $71,261 | |
| Morningside University | 71% | $31,320 | 50% | $55,494 | |
| Coe College | 64% | $18,745 | 66% | $57,125 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
William Penn University would cost you $1,306 less per year than Briar Cliff University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at William Penn University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$7,206).
- Briar Cliff University gives aided families $7,313 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Iowa resident | William Penn University | Briar Cliff University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $29,750 | $36,956 | −$7,206 |
| Books & supplies | $1,504 | $1,544 | −$40 |
| Housing & meals | $7,712 | $10,208 | −$2,496 |
| Personal & travel | $5,834 | $4,556 | +$1,278 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,926 | −$1,771 | −$155 |
| Sticker price | $42,874 | $51,493 | −$8,619 |
| Average grants | −$20,273 | −$27,586 | +$7,313 |
| You pay | $22,601 | $23,907 | −$1,306 |
“+” means William Penn 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 William Penn University
What is the William Penn University acceptance rate?
William Penn University accepts 52% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 634 of 1,112 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 880–1110 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
How much does William Penn University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $42,874 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $22,601 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $20,608 and families earning $110k+ pay $25,916.
How much do William Penn University graduates earn?
Former William Penn University students earn a median $48,936 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the William Penn University graduation rate?
33% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 58% return for their second year.
How long does a William Penn University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at William Penn University costs about $88,614 after grants ($20,560 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $48,936 ten years after starting, $12,275 more than high school graduates in Iowa ($36,661), so the cost is repaid in 7.2 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: “William Penn University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/william-penn-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).