National university
#9 Colleges with the best earnings for the price in PennsylvaniaWidener University
Chester, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $25,759 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#181 of 1,046
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#123 of 690
- Best colleges for social work in America#139 of 605
- Best colleges for nursing in America#260 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#280 of 1,132
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#454 of 1,829
In Pennsylvania
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.68%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,180
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$14,606
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $70,621 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,811 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 30% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 32% |
| Total students | 5,610 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $25,759 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $70,621 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 68% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 58% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 61% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 66% |
| First-year retention | 78% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $70,920 |
| Admission rate | 71% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,520 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 33% |
| Average SAT | 1180 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 550–650 |
| SAT math | 530–640 |
| ACT composite | — |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Medical assisting | |
| Nursing | |
| Computer science | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Other psychology | |
| Finance | |
| Accounting | |
| Other business, management, marketing, and related support services | |
| Biology | |
| Business administration | |
| Psychology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Social work | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Hospitality management | |
| Teacher education | |
| Public relations | |
| Journalism | |
| Political science |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Anthropology, Biochemistry, Business (general), Chemistry, Communication studies, Education (general), Engineering (general), English, Ethnic and gender studies, Fine arts, Health administration, History, Information science, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, International relations, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Management science, Managerial economics, Marketing, Mathematics, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, Natural resources and conservation, Paralegal studies, Physics, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social sciences, Sociology, Special education, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 6% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 10% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,530 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Middle Atlantic States Athletic Corporation |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 9%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 39%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $23,303IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 50% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)About 6 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Town population | 33,619Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | PhiladelphiaAbout 16 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 35°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Marcus Hook, PA, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.29 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.12 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.29 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.29 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Widener University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 30% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Widener University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $25,759 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Widener University?
- Widener University admitted 71% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Widener University’s graduates do?
- 68% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $70,920; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 216852
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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