🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants.

✅ Best for

  • Solid academic profile (SAT 1070–1290 · ACT 24–28 middle 50% + typically a 3.7+ unweighted GPA in rigorous coursework)
  • Families wanting a small liberal-arts experience

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 1070, or ACT below 24, or unweighted GPA below ~3.50 (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
M3: Master's - Smaller Programs
Total enrollment
1,995
1,000 - 4,999
In-state tuition
$36,600
sticker, before aid
Tuition
$36,600
flat rate (no in/out-of-state split)
Admit rate
80.1%
Accepts the majority
SAT middle 50%
1070–1290
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
24–28
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$53,217
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
$45,919
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$53,217
4-year completion
59%
Median debt (completers)
$27,000
Cost of attendance
$49,276
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
28%

💰 True ROI

5.7× 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)
$93,120
$23,280/yr avg net
Aid that hides behind the sticker
$103,984
vs sticker $197,104
10-yr earnings total
$532,170
$53,217/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 University of Mount Union, the average net price is $23,280/yr across all families.

Family income $0-30k
$16,786/yr
Family income $30-48k
$19,428/yr
Family income $48-75k
$17,741/yr
Family income $75-110k
$23,474/yr
Family income $110k+
$26,495/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 University of Mount Union's official Net Price Calculator:

Get your family's estimate from University of Mount Union →

Opens on University of Mount Union'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 University of Mount Union

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

1. Business, Management, & Marketing
69 degrees · 26.5%
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.
2. Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness
59 degrees · 22.7%
Typical career outcomes
Athletic Trainer $58k Fitness Trainer / Coach $46k Recreation Director $65k
Coaching, athletic training, public-sector recreation, fitness industry.
3. Health Professions
52 degrees · 20.0%
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.
4. Education
40 degrees · 15.4%
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.
5. Engineering
40 degrees · 15.4%
Typical career outcomes
Mechanical Engineer $100k Electrical Engineer $107k Civil Engineer $93k Chemical Engineer $112k
Engineering majors land high-paying technical roles. Top-earning sub-disciplines: petroleum, chemical, computer engineering.

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 University of Mount Union

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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Bachelor's Degree 58 $70,141 $85,186
Mechanical Engineering. Bachelor's Degree 14 $71,097 $80,963
Finance and Financial Management Services. Bachelor's Degree 13 $51,503 $80,777
Accounting and Related Services. Bachelor's Degree 15 $59,142 $80,429
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. Bachelor's Degree $40,431 $76,675
Business Administration, Management and Operations. Bachelor's Degree 11 $46,071 $68,305
Marketing. Bachelor's Degree 33 $49,025 $66,830
Biology, General. Bachelor's Degree 29 $33,433 $61,213
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. Bachelor's Degree 56 $33,631 $60,728
Criminal Justice and Corrections. Bachelor's Degree 20 $38,440 $55,751

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

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

University of Mount Union 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 University of Mount Union

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 University of Mount Union 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 University of Mount Union.
Christian Brothers University
TN · Private nonprofit
$5,843/yr for $110k+ families ($20,652 less)
United States Merchant Marine Academy
NY · Public
$9,168/yr for $110k+ families ($17,327 less)
College of the Ozarks
MO · Private nonprofit
$10,426/yr for $110k+ families ($16,069 less)
Indiana University-Kokomo
IN · Public
$10,593/yr for $110k+ families ($15,902 less)
Texas A & M International University
TX · Public
$10,697/yr for $110k+ families ($15,798 less)
🛡️ Safer in-state options
Same state, similar SAT band, but with a more forgiving admit rate — useful safety / match anchors.
Wright State University-Main Campus
OH · Public
95% admit rate (vs 80% here)
University of Toledo
OH · Public
95% admit rate (vs 80% here)

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