Wheaton College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Wheaton, Illinois. It enrolls 2,121 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.
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
69/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes92
Value36
Affordability23
Selectivity58
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 87.4%, Wheaton College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
87.4%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1260 – 1470
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
28 – 32
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 Wheaton College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
5.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Wheaton 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 $26,975 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$26,975
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
22%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
43%
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
$45,546
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,010
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,868
Books & Supplies
$936
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,560
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,250
Total Cost of Attendance
$59,263
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
$20,001
$30,001 – $48,000
$18,587
$48,001 – $75,000
$20,553
$75,001 – $110,000
$24,176
Over $110,000
$33,435
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.
$5,50010%percentile
$12,04825%percentile
$23,250Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$30,00090%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 $21,500
↓ $1,750
No Pell $19,500
↓ $3,750
Female students $19,625
↓ $3,625
Male students $20,141
↓ $3,109
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,000, less than completers ($23,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
89% of full-time students who enrolled at Wheaton College graduate within six years, and 93% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
89%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
93%
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 Wheaton College earn a median of $63,756 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$63,756
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
$42,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$78,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$59,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$59,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$61,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $36,200, about 46% 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 ↑
7.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 98% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Wheaton College is home to 2,121 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
2,121
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
—
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 67.2%1,426
Asian 8.8%187
Hispanic 8.7%185
Other 6.0%127
International 4.2%89
Black 3.3%69
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Wheaton College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbWheaton, Illinois
Housing
Strongly residential2,116 beds for 2,121 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Wheaton College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
45 distinct programs across
20 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 Wheaton College is 10:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$863M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$91,957
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
193 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
64
33%
$107,863
Associate Professors
84
44%
$91,444
Assistant Professors
40
21%
$71,131
Instructors
5
3%
$56,509
Pros & Cons of Wheaton College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Wheaton College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Strong six-year graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Wheaton College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wheaton College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Wheaton College.
Is Wheaton College hard to get into?
Wheaton College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 87.4%.
What is the acceptance rate at Wheaton College?
Wheaton College has an acceptance rate of 87.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Wheaton College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Wheaton College scored between 1260 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 Wheaton College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Wheaton College scored between 28 and 32 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Wheaton College cost?
The average net price after aid at Wheaton College is $26,975 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Wheaton College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $63,756 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $26,975 per year. That's roughly 2.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Wheaton College known for?
Wheaton College is best known for its programs in Business Statistics, Psychology, English. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Wheaton College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Wheaton College are $63,756, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Wheaton College accredited?
Yes. Wheaton College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Wheaton College?
Wheaton College enrolls 2,121 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Wheaton College?
Wheaton College graduates 89% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Wheaton College a public or private college?
Wheaton College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Wheaton College located?
Wheaton College is located in Wheaton, Illinois.
What programs does Wheaton College offer?
Wheaton College offers 45 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Statistics, Psychology, English.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Wheaton College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Wheaton College is 10:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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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
Rankings That Feature Wheaton College
Wheaton College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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91 UCD Score
48 Colleges
$9,833 Lowest Net
$91,885 Top Earn
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91 UCD Score
40 Colleges
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$91,885 Top Earn
Best Psychology Colleges in Illinois
The top Psychology colleges in Illinois, ranked by UCD Score on outcomes, value, and net price.
84 UCD Score
46 Colleges
$2,835 Lowest Net
$89,363 Top Earn
Best Teacher Education Colleges in Illinois
The top Teacher Education colleges in Illinois, ranked by UCD Score on outcomes, value, and net price.
91 UCD Score
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$2,835 Lowest Net
$91,885 Top Earn
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