Public Graduate Strong 78/100

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

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

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Waterbury, Connecticut

About University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Thinking about University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus, a college in Connecticut? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Waterbury, Connecticut. It enrolls 733 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
86.7%
Graduation
76.1%
Net Price
$10,875
Median Earnings (10yr)
$73,997
Enrollment
733
Student : Faculty
20:1

Accreditor New England Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
78/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 49
Value 97
Affordability 88
Selectivity 30

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus admits 86.7% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
86.7%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
910 – 1200
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Required SAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 7.9 pts since 2019
95%201996.6%202083%202197.9%202287%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $10,875 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$10,875
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
52%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
37%
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 (in-state)
$18,140
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$40,808
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,380
Books & Supplies
$990
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,330
Total Cost of Attendance
$22,933

Application fee: $80 (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
    $5,604
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $5,463
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $11,490
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $15,621
  • Over $110,000
    $20,538

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.

$5,250
10% percentile
$9,100
25% percentile
$21,500
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$31,250
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 $18,356 ↓ $3,144
No Pell $18,933 ↓ $2,567
Dependent students $18,500 ↓ $3,000
Independent students $19,791 ↓ $1,709
Female students $19,000 ↓ $2,500
Male students $18,250 ↓ $3,250
Pell recipients: 16.3% (3,498 students)No Pell: 16.8% (3,608 students)Dependent students: 16.4% (3,525 students)Independent students: 17.5% (3,771 students)Female students: 16.8% (3,620 students)Male students: 16.2% (3,478 students)Overall Median$21,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,750, less than completers ($21,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

76% of students who start here finish within six years, and 79% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
76%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
79%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $73,997 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$73,997
Earning > $25K
88%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$62,000$65,000$69,000$72,000$76,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$59,300

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

Male graduates
$73,700

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$61,700

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

Family income (middle third)
$64,900

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

Family income (highest third)
$67,600

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $14,400, about 20% 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 ↑ 10.9 pts across 6 years
81.5%1yr85%3yr89.5%5yr92.4%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 92% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 733 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
733
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
27%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
White 38.5% 282
Hispanic 30.6% 224
Asian 12.4% 91
Black 11.1% 81
Other 4.8% 35
International 2.1% 15
White: 38.5% (282 students)Hispanic: 30.6% (224 students)Asian: 12.4% (91 students)Black: 11.1% (81 students)Other: 4.8% (35 students)International: 2.1% (15 students)Total733

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Midsize City Waterbury, Connecticut
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
7% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Branch campus

Faculty & Resources

There are 20 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member

Pros & Cons of University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Strong six-year graduation rate
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Larger class sizes than typical
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Best for: Based on the data, University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

The questions families ask most about University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus hard to get into?
Not especially. University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 86.7%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
86.7% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
Aim for 1200 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 910 and 1200 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus cost?
Budget around $10,875 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $73,997 a year against a net price of $10,875, about 6.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What do University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus graduates earn?
About $73,997 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus accredited?
Yes. University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
733 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
76% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus located?
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus is located in Waterbury, Connecticut.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
20 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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