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Bucknell University

Private Nonprofit Graduate Strong 70/100

Bucknell University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

About Bucknell University

Bucknell University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 3,876 students (a mid-sized 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.

Official website: bucknell.edu

Acceptance: 28.9%
Graduation: 91.3%
Net Price: $40,766
Median Earnings (10yr): $93,807
Enrollment: 3,876
Student : Faculty: 9:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Strong

70/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 94

Value 33

Affordability 4

Selectivity 92

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 28.9%, Bucknell University is a selective institution.

Acceptance Rate

28.9%

Selective

SAT Range (25th–75th)

1310 – 1470

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

30 – 33

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized 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 Bucknell University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↓ 2.2 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Bucknell 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 $40,766 per year. That's above the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$40,766

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

12%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

35%

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: $67,812
Room & Board (on-campus): $16,924
Room & Board (off-campus): $16,924
Books & Supplies: $900
Other Expenses (on-campus): $2,060
Other Expenses (off-campus): $2,060
Total Cost of Attendance: $83,756

Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)

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

$20,980
$30,001 – $48,000

$12,276
$48,001 – $75,000

$23,679
$75,001 – $110,000

$28,165
Over $110,000

$55,724

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.

$6,453

10% percentile

$14,855

25% percentile

$27,000

Median percentile

$27,000

75% percentile

$31,000

90% 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 $21,313 ↓ $5,687

No Pell $23,509 ↓ $3,491

Female students $24,855 ↓ $2,145

Male students $21,629 ↓ $5,371

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,365, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

91% of full-time students who enrolled at Bucknell University graduate within six years, and 95% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

91%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

95%

Returning for their second year

What this means: Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Bucknell University earn a median of $93,807 ten years after first enrolling. That's well above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$93,807

Earning > $25K

93%

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

$74,300

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$90,300

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$78,800

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$77,100

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$84,400

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $16,000, about 18% 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 ↑ 5.3 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Excellent. 97% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Bucknell University is home to 3,876 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled

3,876

Part-Time

First-Generation

12%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 73.5% 2,848

Hispanic 9.0% 350

International 4.5% 174

Asian 4.4% 170

Other 4.3% 166

Black 4.2% 163

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Bucknell University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Town: Distant Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Housing

Strongly residential 3,376 beds for 3,876 students

Adult Learners

0% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Bucknell University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 59 distinct programs across 17 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.

9 Programs

Engineering

Mechanical Engineering $92K ($78K–$109K)
Computer Engineering $109K ($86K–$145K)
Civil Engineering $87K ($74K–$101K)

5 Programs

Business

Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)
Marketing $69K ($50K–$93K)
Management Sciences $86K ($62K–$115K)

6 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biochemistry & Biophysics $65K ($45K–$88K)
Neurobiology $62K ($41K–$89K)

6 Programs

Languages

Romance Languages $55K ($38K–$73K)
Classics and Classical Languages $49K ($32K–$68K)
Linguistics $50K ($33K–$70K)

3 Programs

English

English $49K ($34K–$64K)
Rhetoric & Composition $48K ($32K–$67K)
English $49K ($34K–$64K)

1 Program

Natural Resources

Natural Resources Conservation and Research $55K ($39K–$73K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Bucknell University is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).

Student : Faculty

9:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$1.4B

Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability

Avg Faculty Salary

$114,540

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

398 instructional faculty across 4 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	135	34%	$135,963
Associate Professors	134	34%	$112,447
Assistant Professors	126	32%	$94,940
Instructors	3	1%	$67,202

Pros & Cons of Bucknell University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Bucknell University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Strong six-year graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Above-average post-graduation earnings

CONS

High net price compared to most US colleges
Selective admissions, solid academic profile expected
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families

Best for: Based on the data, Bucknell University is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bucknell University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Bucknell University.

Is Bucknell University hard to get into?

Bucknell University is highly selective. Its acceptance rate is 28.9%, so admitted students generally have strong grades, competitive test scores, and a well-rounded application.

What is the acceptance rate at Bucknell University?

Bucknell University has an acceptance rate of 28.9%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Bucknell University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Bucknell University scored between 1310 and 1470 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 Bucknell University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Bucknell University scored between 30 and 33 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Bucknell University cost?

The average net price after aid at Bucknell University is $40,766 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Bucknell University worth it?

Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $93,807 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $40,766 per year. That's roughly 2.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Bucknell University known for?

Bucknell University is best known for its programs in Economics, Political Science, Biology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Bucknell University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Bucknell University are $93,807, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Bucknell University accredited?

Yes. Bucknell University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How many students attend Bucknell University?

Bucknell University enrolls 3,876 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Bucknell University?

Bucknell University graduates 91% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Bucknell University a public or private college?

Bucknell University is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Bucknell University located?

Bucknell University is located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

What programs does Bucknell University offer?

Bucknell University offers 59 distinct programs. The most popular include Economics, Political Science, Biology.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bucknell University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Bucknell University is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.