🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants.

✅ Best for

  • Students focused on Health Professions (the school's signature program)
  • Families wanting a small liberal-arts experience

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 1050, or ACT below 21 (admitted-class quartiles; GPA floor is a calibrated heuristic where CDS not yet on file)

Verdict is composed from this college's structured data (admit rate, SAT bands, net price by income, Carnegie classification, scholarship grids) using transparent rule thresholds — not a chat-bot's opinion.

🏛️ Institutional snapshot

What kind of college is this?

Carnegie classification
M1: Master's - Larger Programs
Total enrollment
1,784
1,000 - 4,999
In-state tuition
$41,420
sticker, before aid
Tuition
$41,420
flat rate (no in/out-of-state split)
Admit rate
83.7%
Accepts the majority
SAT middle 50%
1050–1240
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
21–26
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$55,817
median, after entry

Source: federal IPEDS Admissions 2023 for scores + admit rate; federal College Scorecard (20260606 vintage) for earnings + outcomes. SAT/ACT bands are the 25th–75th percentile of enrolled submitters.

📊 Outcomes & cost

What graduates actually earn, finish, and owe.

Federal College Scorecard data. Earnings are median annual income measured years after entering. Debt is for federal-aid borrowers only (cash-pay students aren't counted).

Earnings, 6 yrs after entry
$47,000
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,817
4-year completion
72%
Median debt (completers)
$26,186
Cost of attendance
$55,582
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
32%

💰 True ROI

6.0× return

What families actually pay (after aid) vs. the sticker — and how 10-yr earnings stack against the real cost. Most sites quote sticker; we quote what families really pay.

What families actually pay (4 yrs)
$93,552
$23,388/yr avg net
Aid that hides behind the sticker
$128,776
vs sticker $222,328
10-yr earnings total
$558,170
$55,817/yr median, 10 yrs out
Years to recoup actual cost
1.7 yrs
at the median earnings rate

"True ROI" = (10-yr median earnings × 10) ÷ (actual 4-yr net price). The actual net is from Scorecard (average across all families); your family's net price will vary by income — see the breakdown above. Earnings are 10 years after enrollment (Scorecard PP-FOS, all majors combined).

💰 What families actually pay

Net price by family income

Net price = sticker price minus grant aid. This is what families actually pay out-of-pocket after scholarships and need-based aid — the most honest affordability signal there is. At Marywood University, the average net price is $23,388/yr across all families.

Family income $0-30k
$18,941/yr
Family income $30-48k
$21,192/yr
Family income $48-75k
$21,303/yr
Family income $75-110k
$24,083/yr
Family income $110k+
$28,365/yr

🔎 Earning over $110K? The federal brackets above lump every family from $110K to $1M+ into one row.

Need-based aid usually phases out somewhere between $200K and $300K at private colleges — but the exact threshold varies a lot. For a precise estimate based on your family's actual income, assets, and your student's academic profile, use Marywood University's official Net Price Calculator:

Get your family's estimate from Marywood University →

Opens on Marywood University's site. Takes about 10–15 minutes; have your most recent tax return handy.

Source: College Scorecard (NPT41-NPT45). Net price = total cost of attendance minus federal, state, institutional, and other grants. Some brackets may be suppressed for student-privacy reasons (small cohorts). Title IV first-time, full-time undergraduates only. The $110K+ ceiling is a federal data limitation — Department of Education hasn't refreshed these brackets since the early 2010s.

📚 What students study here

Most popular majors at Marywood University

Top 5 fields of study by bachelor's degrees awarded (most recent IPEDS Completions). Use this to see what Marywood University actually graduates — not just what it markets.

1. Health Professions
109 degrees · 42.2%
Typical career outcomes
Registered Nurse $86k Physician Assistant $130k Pharmacist $136k Physical Therapist (post-DPT) $100k
Highest-paying group on this list, but most careers require additional training beyond a 4-year degree.
2. Architecture
62 degrees · 24.0%
Typical career outcomes
Architect $93k Landscape Architect $79k Urban / Regional Planner $82k
Path to becoming a licensed architect requires graduate degree + experience.
3. Education
37 degrees · 14.3%
Typical career outcomes
Elementary School Teacher $64k Secondary School Teacher $65k School Principal $101k Special Education Teacher $66k
Teaching is the largest path. Salary depends heavily on district + state.
4. Psychology
25 degrees · 9.7%
Typical career outcomes
HR Specialist $68k Market Research Analyst $75k Clinical Psychologist (post-PhD) $93k Social Worker $58k
Most undergrad psych grads go into non-clinical roles. Clinical/counseling psych requires a master's or doctoral.
5. Business, Management, & Marketing
25 degrees · 9.7%
Typical career outcomes
Financial Analyst $100k Management Analyst (Consultant) $99k Marketing Manager $158k Accountant / Auditor $80k
Broad set of corporate roles. Finance + consulting pay top, accounting + HR pay middle, sales spread is wide.

Source: IPEDS Completions (C2023_a), bachelor's-level first majors aggregated to 2-digit CIP family. Share is of these top 5 only — not all majors.

💼 Top programs by earnings

Highest-earning majors at Marywood University

Median earnings 4 years after entry, by major (CIP code). From the federal College Scorecard program-level outcomes.

Major (CIP) Credential Cohort 1-yr earnings 4-yr earnings
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other. Bachelor's Degree 23 $130,682
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Bachelor's Degree 39 $73,240 $92,915
Business Administration, Management and Operations. Bachelor's Degree 16 $44,718 $70,456
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. Bachelor's Degree 22 $69,872
Architecture. Bachelor's Degree 34 $48,650 $67,178
Accounting and Related Services. Bachelor's Degree 10 $59,776
Biology, General. Bachelor's Degree 15 $43,968 $57,765
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. Bachelor's Degree 12 $56,476
Marketing. Bachelor's Degree 6 $55,906
Criminal Justice and Corrections. Bachelor's Degree 8 $54,861

For full college-vs-major comparison + ROI leaderboards, see /college-outcomes →

🤖 AI program signal

AI + computing education at Marywood University

CS degrees (annual)
1
CIP 11.0701 + 11.0101

Full multi-lens comparison: /ai-colleges →

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

Marywood University vs. another college

Type the college you want to compare against. We'll show admit rates, net price by your family income, top majors with career outcomes, and merit aid — all in one side-by-side view.

Alternatives to Marywood University

Matched not just by selectivity, but by strategic goal — what a family actually decides on.

🏆 Better merit-aid options
These similar-selectivity schools have published auto-merit grids that Marywood University doesnt — your kids scores could unlock real scholarship dollars.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
AL · Public
39 auto-merit scholarships on file
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
31 auto-merit scholarships on file
The University of Alabama
AL · Public
23 auto-merit scholarships on file
Mississippi State University
MS · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Alabama at Birmingham
AL · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
💰 Better out-of-state value
For families paying $110k+ income tuition, these schools cost meaningfully less than Marywood University.
Christian Brothers University
TN · Private nonprofit
$5,843/yr for $110k+ families ($22,522 less)
United States Merchant Marine Academy
NY · Public
$9,168/yr for $110k+ families ($19,197 less)
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
NM · Public
$9,996/yr for $110k+ families ($18,369 less)
College of the Ozarks
MO · Private nonprofit
$10,426/yr for $110k+ families ($17,939 less)
Indiana University-Kokomo
IN · Public
$10,593/yr for $110k+ families ($17,772 less)
🛡️ Safer in-state options
Same state, similar SAT band, but with a more forgiving admit rate — useful safety / match anchors.
University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg
PA · Public
98% admit rate (vs 84% here)
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
PA · Public
97% admit rate (vs 84% here)
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks
PA · Public
97% admit rate (vs 84% here)
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
PA · Public
96% admit rate (vs 84% here)
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
PA · Public
96% admit rate (vs 84% here)

Building a college list?

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