Pennsylvania Western University

    California, Pennsylvania, United States

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    • Public
    • Distant town
    • Master's university

    or ask about this college inChatGPTClaude

    Pennsylvania Western University Outcomes

    Pennsylvania Western University graduation rate and earnings

    Graduation rate: 51.4% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of the normal time (CollegesRef 2026–27 edition). 71.7% return for a second year. Median earnings: $51,161 a year for former students who received federal aid, ten years after they started college.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data

    Pennsylvania Western University has 81 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (associate), where graduates earn a median $156,707 four years after finishing, against $62,520 for the same field nationally.

    Outcomes & student data

    Federal data from IPEDS and the U.S. College Scorecard, not student reviews.

    Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · latest data
    51.4%

    Graduation rate

    First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time

    71.7%

    First-year retention

    Students who return for a second year

    21.3%

    Transfer-out rate

    First-time, full-time students who transferred to another college

    Median earnings

    $51,161

    Former students who received federal aid

    Is it worth it?

    What Pennsylvania Western University graduates earn against what they borrow and what the degree costs after grants.

    Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard, latest data
    Earnings, debt and payback at Pennsylvania Western University and similar colleges
    Latest official dataThis collegeSimilar colleges
    Median earningsFormer students, 10 years after startingSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data$51,161$71,762
    Typical federal debtGraduates who borrowed; about $196 a month on a 10-year planSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data$17,250$24,500
    Years to pay back4 years of average net price ($17,839 a year), paid with 10% of median earningsSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data13.9 years9.3 years

    Similar colleges: the median of 36 public four-year colleges in Pennsylvania with the same figures reported. Payback is illustrative: it ignores interest, taxes and living costs, and earnings vary by major. Check a loan payment against earnings.

    Pennsylvania Western University graduate earnings by major

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, latest data

    Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Pennsylvania Western University. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 141 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.

    Largest program
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
    208 graduates · $47,295 median earnings
    Above the national median
    9 of 80 programs
    Graduate earnings compared with the same field and credential at other colleges
    Lowest debt for the pay
    Finance and Financial Management Services
    Median debt is 26% of a year's earnings

    Highest-earning programs

    Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (associate)
    $156,707
    Field median $62,520
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (doctoral)
    $127,594
    Field median $135,401
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (master's)
    $113,607
    Field median $120,338
    Computer Software and Media Applications (master's)
    $95,801
    Field median $119,840
    Educational Administration and Supervision (graduate certificate)
    $88,001
    Field median $91,692
    Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (bachelor's)
    $83,194
    Field median $59,881
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (bachelor's)
    $82,099
    Field median $86,020
    Business Administration, Management and Operations (master's)
    $78,426
    Field median $95,127
    Median earnings four years after finishing, or one year where four is not reported.

    Bachelor's programs

    Bachelor's programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General33$67,145$83,194$59,88139% above$23,250
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing187$78,212$82,099$86,0205% below$24,156
    Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians14N/A$77,401$81,5625% belowN/A
    Computer and Information Sciences, General1$54,350$73,164$85,00014% below$26,000
    Systems Science and Theory11N/A$70,820$64,44410% aboveN/A
    Information Science/Studies14N/A$70,608$81,11713% belowN/A
    Finance and Financial Management Services38$48,563$68,289$77,31212% below$17,529
    Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering17$65,346N/A$78,28217% below$25,750
    Chemistry16$40,209$65,224$66,3662% below$23,875
    Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions6N/A$64,092$74,99615% belowN/A
    Accounting and Related Services37$47,514$63,781$73,05413% below$24,750
    Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions19$57,548$60,617$67,67610% below$22,873
    Marketing31$41,360$59,703$66,54210% below$22,047
    Political Science and Government17$36,254$57,724$61,6136% below$25,000
    Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences0$47,059$57,549$60,3795% below$23,568
    Human Resources Management and Services6$47,094$57,354$67,02514% belowN/A
    Communication Disorders Sciences and Services71$33,210$56,316$58,4914% below$23,250
    Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics30$55,753N/A$37,40849% aboveN/A
    Business Administration, Management and Operations112$45,631$55,515$64,59014% below$25,489
    Biology, General72$36,610$53,619$57,5587% below$25,000
    Mathematics21$47,862$51,498$70,62827% below$21,898
    Natural Resources Conservation and Research19$40,320$50,722$54,6277% belowN/A
    Criminal Justice and Corrections30$41,643$49,817$54,4699% below$24,346
    Geography and Cartography10$35,863$49,517$57,58614% belowN/A
    Special Education and Teaching16$43,720$48,497$51,2585% below$24,917
    Communication and Media Studies42$36,132$48,116$53,82511% below$22,238
    Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness138$38,549$47,468$53,02410% below$23,292
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods208$40,033$47,295$47,7301% below$23,000
    Psychology, General9$40,037$45,903$50,0668% below$22,333
    Social Work56$41,149$45,436$51,85912% below$25,996
    Research and Experimental Psychology107$34,149$45,300$56,28220% below$24,498
    Biological and Physical Sciences13$42,503$45,272$59,85724% belowN/A
    Journalism7N/A$45,264$54,37817% belowN/A
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities122$38,696$44,180$52,02015% below$24,555
    Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions9$34,313$42,837$52,22718% below$27,000
    Sociology41$35,295$42,662$52,10518% below$26,250
    Social Sciences, General9$39,596$42,582$52,09518% below$24,430
    Music8N/A$41,546$43,3874% belowN/A
    Design and Applied Arts18$35,336$40,854$52,72723% below$23,750
    Social Sciences, Other0$39,765N/A$43,5889% belowN/A
    English Language and Literature, General22$29,861$37,813$48,77322% below$24,722
    Fine and Studio Arts102$28,267$37,684$41,5509% below$26,436
    History14$28,365$37,579$50,38725% below$27,000
    Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft11$31,344N/A$29,6086% above$27,000
    Anthropology10$30,800N/A$34,06110% belowN/A
    Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication1$26,169N/A$47,47845% belowN/A

    Associate programs

    Associate programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General0$100,588$156,707$62,520151% aboveN/A
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing54$62,343$73,025$79,9439% below$19,000
    Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians3N/A$72,111$73,9713% belowN/A
    Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians17$53,058$64,684$73,91912% below$18,750
    Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services40$52,011$62,740$46,24636% above$19,667
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities22N/A$47,952$42,77412% above$17,750
    Criminal Justice and Corrections2$35,102$46,987$47,3061% below$23,029
    Business Administration, Management and Operations16N/A$43,801$49,32311% belowN/A
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods10N/A$33,108$37,89813% belowN/A

    Master's programs

    Master's programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing41$104,137$113,607$120,3386% below$39,683
    Computer Software and Media ApplicationsNot availableN/A$95,801$119,84020% belowN/A
    Business Administration, Management and Operations89$70,923$78,426$95,12718% below$31,029
    Accounting and Related Services15$67,262$76,807$93,22818% belowN/A
    Educational Administration and Supervision47$61,047$66,008$69,9446% below$20,328
    Social Sciences, General0N/A$65,444$57,02715% aboveN/A
    Legal Professions and Studies, Other24$64,351N/A$88,53227% belowN/A
    Communication and Media StudiesNot available$48,645$63,323$70,53410% belowN/A
    Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics31$61,958N/AN/A$20,500
    Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology25$52,473$60,248$65,7448% below$20,500
    Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness163$51,167$59,065$60,5532% below$30,000
    Social Work208$54,401$58,490$62,5977% below$41,000
    Communication Disorders Sciences and Services69$54,005$58,424$65,78611% below$41,000
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas41$52,961$57,265$62,4508% below$20,140
    Education, General103$50,707$55,650$63,75413% below$27,646
    Library Science and Administration155$48,568$55,619$55,9701% below$32,149
    Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods34$52,336$55,052$58,8456% below$41,000
    Student Counseling and Personnel Services56$48,337$54,323$58,9988% below$53,121
    Special Education and Teaching81$54,205$53,122$63,05816% below$27,265
    Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions41$46,148$48,558$60,23419% below$50,075
    Criminal Justice and Corrections33$45,486N/A$56,87520% below$24,750
    Fine and Studio Arts14$44,135N/A$39,98310% aboveN/A

    Doctoral programs

    Doctoral programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingNot availableN/A$127,594$135,4016% belowN/A

    Graduate certificate programs

    Graduate certificate programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Educational Administration and Supervision49$80,673$88,001$91,6924% below$32,962
    Special Education and Teaching17$61,780N/A$61,7050% above$23,917
    Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions6$48,020$54,813$61,86211% belowN/A

    Career paths from this college

    Careers linked to the programs Pennsylvania Western University reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.

    Explore all 488 careers
    • Bright outlook

      Healthcare practitioners

      Nurse Anesthetists

      Median pay
      $236,590
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Master's degree

      Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

      • Critical Thinking
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Active Learning
    • Management

      Chief Executives

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Business/Commerce, General, Business Administration, Management and Operations and 4 more

      • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Complex Problem Solving
      • Critical Thinking
    • Management

      Chief Sustainability Officers

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Business/Commerce, General, Business Administration, Management and Operations and 4 more

      • Critical Thinking
      • Writing
      • Active Listening
    • Bright outlook

      Science

      Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

      Median pay
      $193,950
      Outlook
      Faster than average

      Master's degree

      Via Psychology, General, Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Writing
    • Bright outlook

      Management

      Computer and Information Systems Managers

      Median pay
      $175,140
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Computer and Information Sciences, General, Information Science/Studies and 5 more

      • Critical Thinking
      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension
    • Bright outlook

      Science

      Physicists

      Median pay
      $172,250
      Outlook
      Faster than average

      Doctoral or professional degree

      Via Physics

      • Science
      • Critical Thinking
      • Active Learning

    Explore these programs

    Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.

    Programs A–Z

    Keep Pennsylvania Western University on your list

    Save it to your Backpack and compare it with the other schools you are considering.

    Compare colleges
    1. 1. Save

      Add colleges to your Backpack as you research.

    2. 2. Compare

      Line up cost, admit rate, and outcomes side by side.

    3. 3. Share

      Email your Backpack to a parent or counselor.