# Dickinson College

Private nonprofit college in Carlisle, PA. IPEDS ID 212009.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/dickinson-college · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/dickinson-college.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 42% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $37,607 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 80%; beats 85% of PA colleges and 89% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $70,204; beats 82% of PA colleges and 85% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $17,294

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $40,755 |
| 30-48k | $15,081 |
| 48-75k | $16,316 |
| 75-110k | $22,696 |
| 110k+ | $45,175 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.13 years on average (73% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $70,204 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $40,755 | $168,318 | 4.9 years |
| 30-48k | $15,081 | $62,285 | 1.8 years |
| 48-75k | $16,316 | $67,385 | 2.0 years |
| 75-110k | $22,696 | $93,734 | 2.7 years |
| 110k+ | $45,175 | $186,573 | 5.4 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $82,902
- Tuition and fees: $65,650
- Housing and meals: $16,500; books: $1,324

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 670–740; SAT math: 640–720; ACT: 30–33 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 7,185 applicants, 3,095 admitted, 525 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 42%, ACT 30–33 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 43%, ACT not reported (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, class rank, gpa, recommendations, talent, character, interest; important: essay, interview, extracurriculars; considered: test scores, first generation, alumni relation, geography, volunteer, work experience
- Early decision: yes (258 of 454 admitted); early action: no; waitlist: yes (8 admitted of 63 who accepted a spot)
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 99.32% of need met; 276 of 311 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 139 students, average $30,319
- Source: https://www.dickinson.edu/download/downloads/id/17199/cds_2025-2026.pdf

## Majors (39 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Business | $60,553 | $84,990 | $19,000 |
| Economics | $53,990 | $78,378 | $19,000 |
| Area Studies | $32,722 | $63,874 | $19,802 |
| International Relations | not reported | $62,570 | $19,000 |
| Political Science | $37,507 | $59,834 | $19,000 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $39,694 | $59,045 | $19,000 |
| Psychology | $37,227 | $58,706 | $19,000 |
| History | not reported | $57,699 | $19,000 |
| English | $25,510 | $57,603 | $19,000 |
| Biology | $23,097 | $57,103 | $19,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $27,663 | $54,597 | $18,402 |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | $44,383 | not reported | $19,000 |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Legal Studies / Paralegal | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | $35,305 | not reported | $19,000 |
| Neuroscience | not reported | not reported | $19,000 |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Data Analytics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Policy Analysis | $61,592 | not reported | not reported |
| Anthropology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Archeology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | $19,000 |
| Dance | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist: median wage $82,220 (Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA), $76,110 (PA), $82,220 (U.S.)
- Biology → Biological technician: median wage $51,320 (Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA), $54,950 (PA), $57,510 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

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