Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 62/100

Western New England University

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

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Springfield, Massachusetts

About Western New England University

Thinking about Western New England University, a college in Massachusetts where more students graduate in Business than anything else? 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.

Western New England University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Springfield, Massachusetts. It enrolls 2,603 students (a mid-sized 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
83.5%
Graduation
58.6%
Net Price
$27,290
Median Earnings (10yr)
$73,157
Enrollment
2,603
Student : Faculty
12:1

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.

Good
62/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 52
Value 50
Affordability 26
Selectivity 52

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Western New England University admits 83.5% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
83.5%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1090 – 1300
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
21 – 28
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 Western New England University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↓ 1.9 pts since 2019
85.2%201989.4%202089.3%202188%202283.3%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 $27,290 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. 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
$27,290
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
24%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
78%
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
$47,820
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,570
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,410
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,131
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,371
Total Cost of Attendance
$60,262

Application fee: $40 (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
    $20,726
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $22,471
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $25,205
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $28,660
  • Over $110,000
    $29,794

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.

$3,650
10% percentile
$8,750
25% percentile
$25,500
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$32,500
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 $22,188 ↓ $3,312
No Pell $19,500 ↓ $6,000
Dependent students $19,500 ↓ $6,000
Independent students $22,000 ↓ $3,500
Female students $19,500 ↓ $6,000
Male students $20,318 ↓ $5,182
Pell recipients: 18.0% (4,600 students)No Pell: 15.9% (4,042 students)Dependent students: 15.9% (4,042 students)Independent students: 17.9% (4,561 students)Female students: 15.9% (4,042 students)Male students: 16.5% (4,212 students)Overall Median$25,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($25,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

59% of students who start here finish within six years, and 74% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
59%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
74%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $73,157 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$73,157
Earning > $25K
91%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$50,000$55,000$60,000$70,000$75,0006 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
$54,300

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

Male graduates
$66,000

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$61,500

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

Family income (middle third)
$55,200

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

Family income (highest third)
$64,000

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $11,700, 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 ↑ 12.6 pts across 6 years
77.7%1yr82.9%3yr86.7%5yr90.3%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 90% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,603 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled
2,603
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
25%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
White 65.7% 1,711
Hispanic 12.1% 314
Black 5.8% 152
Other 3.8% 98
Asian 3.1% 81
International 2.3% 60
White: 65.7% (1,711 students)Hispanic: 12.1% (314 students)Black: 5.8% (152 students)Other: 3.8% (98 students)Asian: 3.1% (81 students)International: 2.3% (60 students)Total2,603

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Midsize City Springfield, Massachusetts
Housing
Strongly residential 2,153 beds for 2,603 students
Adult Learners
3% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Legal Studies graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Western New England University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 65 distinct programs across 21 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.

13 Programs
4 Programs
5 Programs
10 Programs
5 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$143M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$96,014
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

231 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 89 39% $110,718
Associate Professors 65 28% $90,754
Assistant Professors 56 24% $87,197
Instructors 21 9% $73,490

Pros & Cons of Western New England University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Western New England University 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
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Modest first-year retention
  • High published cost of attendance before aid
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • Most students take on federal loans
Best for: Based on the data, Western New England University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.

Frequently Asked Questions about Western New England University

The questions families ask most about Western New England University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Western New England University hard to get into?
Not especially. Western New England University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 83.5%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Western New England University?
83.5% 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 Western New England University?
Aim for 1300 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1090 and 1300 (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.
What ACT score do you need for Western New England University?
Aim for 28 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 21 and 28 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Western New England University cost?
Budget around $27,290 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 Western New England University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $73,157 a year against a net price of $27,290, about 2.7 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 is Western New England University known for?
Mostly Law, Psychology, Mechanical Engineering Tech. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Western New England University graduates earn?
About $73,157 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 Western New England University accredited?
Yes. Western New England University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Western New England University?
2,603 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Western New England University?
59% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Western New England University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Western New England University located?
Western New England University is located in Springfield, Massachusetts.
What programs does Western New England University offer?
65 different programs, most commonly Law, Psychology, Mechanical Engineering Tech. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Western New England University?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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