McDaniel College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Westminster, Maryland. It enrolls 1,617 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.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar4-1-4 Plan
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
67/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes58
Value53
Affordability50
Selectivity47
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 77.9%, McDaniel College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
77.9%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether McDaniel College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
8.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending McDaniel College 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 $21,916 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$21,916
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
58%
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
$52,081
Room & Board (on-campus)
$12,974
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,250
Books & Supplies
$1,522
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,643
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,872
Total Cost of Attendance
$65,294
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
$12,210
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,261
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,796
$75,001 – $110,000
$21,408
Over $110,000
$30,694
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.
$5,34710%percentile
$9,50025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$28,50075%percentile
$35,48590%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 $15,000
↓ $10,000
No Pell $15,125
↓ $9,875
Dependent students $15,000
↓ $10,000
Independent students $16,683
↓ $8,317
Female students $16,250
↓ $8,750
Male students $13,500
↓ $11,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
66% of full-time students who enrolled at McDaniel College graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
66%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
78%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered McDaniel College earn a median of $60,663 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$60,663
Earning > $25K
83%
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
$47,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$61,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$62,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$52,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$52,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,600, about 22% 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 ↑
12.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 92% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
McDaniel College is home to 1,617 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,617
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
26%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 53.5%865
Black 23.7%383
Hispanic 10.5%170
Other 7.7%124
Asian 2.1%34
International 0.6%9
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at McDaniel College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: FringeWestminster, Maryland
Housing
Strongly residential1,446 beds for 1,617 students
Adult Learners
2%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
4-1-4 Planscheduling structure
What You Can Study
McDaniel College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
50 distinct programs across
22 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 McDaniel College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$177M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$73,011
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
124 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
34
27%
$89,296
Associate Professors
33
27%
$78,612
Assistant Professors
23
19%
$70,317
Instructors
1
1%
$45,660
Lecturers
33
27%
$53,336
Pros & Cons of McDaniel College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how McDaniel College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Above-average graduation rate
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Modest first-year retention
High published cost of attendance before aid
Best for:
Based on the data, McDaniel College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about McDaniel College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about McDaniel College.
Is McDaniel College hard to get into?
McDaniel College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 77.9%.
What is the acceptance rate at McDaniel College?
McDaniel College has an acceptance rate of 77.9%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does McDaniel College cost?
The average net price after aid at McDaniel College is $21,916 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is McDaniel College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $60,663 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $21,916 per year. That's roughly 2.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is McDaniel College known for?
McDaniel College is best known for its programs in Educational Administration, Curriculum & Instruction, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do McDaniel College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering McDaniel College are $60,663, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is McDaniel College accredited?
Yes. McDaniel College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend McDaniel College?
McDaniel College enrolls 1,617 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at McDaniel College?
McDaniel College graduates 66% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is McDaniel College a public or private college?
McDaniel College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is McDaniel College located?
McDaniel College is located in Westminster, Maryland.
What programs does McDaniel College offer?
McDaniel College offers 50 distinct programs. The most popular include Educational Administration, Curriculum & Instruction, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at McDaniel College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at McDaniel College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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