Alfred University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Alfred, New York. It enrolls 1,423 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes51
Value25
Affordability46
Selectivity61
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 73.8%, Alfred University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
73.8%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1095 – 1310
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
24 – 29
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Alfred University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
14.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Alfred University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $25,620 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$25,620
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
39%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
64%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$41,500
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,380
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,950
Books & Supplies
$1,300
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,900
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,900
Total Cost of Attendance
$57,445
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$16,512
$30,001 – $48,000
$15,067
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,125
$75,001 – $110,000
$28,280
Over $110,000
$33,388
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,62510%percentile
$7,25025%percentile
$26,000Medianpercentile
$29,00075%percentile
$33,25090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $17,232
↓ $8,768
No Pell $18,250
↓ $7,750
Dependent students $18,000
↓ $8,000
Independent students $12,519
↓ $13,481
Female students $16,938
↓ $9,062
Male students $18,012
↓ $7,988
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($26,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
58% of full-time students who enrolled at Alfred University graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
58%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Alfred University earn a median of $54,897 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$54,897
Earning > $25K
79%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$38,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$55,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$46,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $16,900, about 31% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Alfred University is home to 1,423 students, a small, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
1,423
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
25%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 63.8%908
Hispanic 10.6%151
International 8.8%125
Black 7.0%100
Other 4.0%57
Asian 1.6%22
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Alfred University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: DistantAlfred, New York
Housing
Strongly residential1,482 beds for 1,423 students
Adult Learners
4%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Alfred University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
53 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Alfred University is 10:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$329M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$64,134
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
152 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
49
32%
$73,589
Associate Professors
29
19%
$66,692
Assistant Professors
68
45%
$57,781
Instructors
4
3%
$51,464
Lecturers
2
1%
$36,736
Pros & Cons of Alfred University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Alfred University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Alfred University is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Alfred University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Alfred University.
Is Alfred University hard to get into?
Admissions at Alfred University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 73.8%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Alfred University?
Alfred University has an acceptance rate of 73.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Alfred University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Alfred University scored between 1095 and 1310 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Alfred University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Alfred University scored between 24 and 29 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Alfred University cost?
The average net price after aid at Alfred University is $25,620 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Alfred University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $54,897 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $25,620 per year. That's roughly 2.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Alfred University known for?
Alfred University is best known for its programs in Mental Health Services, Counseling Education, Fine Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Alfred University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Alfred University are $54,897, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Alfred University accredited?
Yes. Alfred University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Alfred University?
Alfred University enrolls 1,423 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Alfred University?
Alfred University graduates 58% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Alfred University a public or private college?
Alfred University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Alfred University located?
Alfred University is located in Alfred, New York.
What programs does Alfred University offer?
Alfred University offers 53 distinct programs. The most popular include Mental Health Services, Counseling Education, Fine Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Alfred University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Alfred University is 10:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in New York
Other colleges in New York share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Business Administration
Information Systems
Psychology
Related Guides
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
