loading 6,000+ schools…
Reading, PA · Glenside, PA
| Alvernia University | Arcadia University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $28,138/yr | $29,466/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $23,436/yr | $23,127/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $23,701/yr | $25,388/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $24,131/yr | $25,978/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $28,016/yr | $28,654/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $32,152/yr | $34,339/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $286/mo | $286/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,460/yr | $17,180/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $11,550/yr | $26,390/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0.1% |
| Books & supplies | $1,000/yr | $1,500/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,400/yr | $1,100/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $57,565/yr | $64,645/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $45,000/yr | $49,610/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $45,000/yr | $49,610/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 36% | 28% |
| Students taking federal loans | 83% | 61% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 58% | 80% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1093–1286 | 1065–1265 |
| SAT average | 1170 | 1190 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 5,491 | 6,688 |
| Students accepted | 3,422 | 5,296 |
| Students who enrolled | 414 | 420 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 12% | 7.9% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 8% | 12% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 2% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Required |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 56% | 67% |
| Freshmen who come back | 72% | 79% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $55,055/yr | $58,336/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $36,845–$78,403 | $39,972–$80,889 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 65% | 64% |
| White students graduating | 67% | 68% |
| Black students graduating | 29% | 57% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 42% | 61% |
| Asian students graduating | 63% | 84% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $49,938/yr | $44,004/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 79% | 76% |
| Graduate on time | 39% | 59% |
| Pell students who graduate | 42% | 61% |
| First-gen students who finish | 57% | 57% |
| Low-income students who finish | 52% | 48% |
| Students who transfer out | 32% | 25% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $53,927/yr | $54,111/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 54% · Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 5% | Biological & Biomedical Sciences 13% · Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Visual & Performing Arts 12% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 54% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 13% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 5% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 4% of degrees | Social Sciences — 11% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 4% of degrees | Psychology — 10% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $77,394/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $115,462/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 12% | 21% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 2,152 | 1,948 |
| Students per professor | 14 : 1 | 10 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 604 | 1,374 |
| Average professor pay | $8,028/mo | $8,854/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 37% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $52,761 | $66,802 |
| Setting | City (small) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Reading, PA | Glenside, PA |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1958 | 1853 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral/Professional Universities | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 3.2% | 5% |
| Men | 36% | 37% |
| Women | 65% | 63% |
| White students | 61% | 55% |
| Black students | 11% | 17% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 17% | 12% |
| Asian students | 1.6% | 4.1% |
| Two or more races | 3.6% | 3.3% |
| Other / not reported | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Special type | Religiously affiliated | None |
| First-generation students | 45% | 31% |
| Part-time students | 19% | 6.8% |
| Students age 25+ | 19% | 4.2% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $8,245/yr | $10,749/yr |
| Endowment | $18.5M | $66.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 956 | 1,085 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,330/yr | $8,500/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $7,760/yr | $5,590/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic | Presbyterian Church (USA) |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division III with football | NCAA Division III without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 22 | 23 |
| Student athletes | 585 | 559 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $4.4M | $5.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $4.6M | $5.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $115,037 | $67,385 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.