Lycoming College provides meaningful access to first-generation and low-income students while supporting them through graduation at rates that exceed many peer institutions.
The college balances affordability with the personal attention and community connections that define the small liberal arts experience.
Lycoming College is a small private liberal arts college in Pennsylvania that emphasizes personal attention and community engagement over pure financial outcomes. While the college doesn't rank among the top tier nationally for earnings—graduates earn a median of $56,210 ten years after enrollment—it serves as a solid choice for students who prioritize the small college experience and close faculty relationships. About 40% of students receive Pell Grants, and the college maintains a "Mobility Engine" designation, meaning it provides meaningful access to first-generation and low-income students while helping them achieve reasonable economic progress.
The college's strength lies in its ability to support students through graduation, with completion rates that improve over time—about 48% graduate in four years, rising to 60% by six years and 67% by eight years. This persistence reflects the supportive environment that small liberal arts colleges can provide. Business Administration is the college's strongest program from a financial return perspective, while Psychology enrolls the most students, and programs like Criminology round out the academic offerings.
For families considering Lycoming, the value proposition centers on the personal attention, alumni connections, and campus community that define the small college experience. Net prices range from about $10,756 for low-income families to $26,790 for higher-income households, positioning it as a moderately priced private option that emphasizes educational experience over maximum financial returns.
Lycoming College's program portfolio reflects its liberal arts mission while providing practical career preparation across several key fields. Business Administration stands out as both a popular and financially rewarding choice, graduating 43 students annually with median earnings of $41,937—the college's strongest return on investment. Psychology, the college's largest program with 47 graduates, demonstrates the institution's commitment to foundational liberal arts disciplines, though earnings are more modest at $33,281 reflecting the diverse career paths psychology majors typically pursue.
Criminology represents an interesting middle ground, graduating 37 students with earnings around $33,518, suggesting solid career prospects in law enforcement, corrections, and related fields. These three programs together illustrate Lycoming's approach to balancing traditional liberal arts education with practical career preparation, offering students both intellectual breadth and professional focus.
The relatively small graduating classes in each program—ranging from 37 to 47 students—reflect the intimate scale that defines the Lycoming experience. This size allows for personalized attention from faculty, close peer relationships, and the kind of mentoring that can be particularly valuable for first-generation college students. While the college may not offer the program breadth of larger institutions, the focused offerings and small class sizes create opportunities for deep engagement and strong faculty-student relationships that can support long-term career development.
Graduates of Lycoming College see moderate long-term financial outcomes that reflect the liberal arts focus and regional employment patterns typical of small private colleges. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $56,210, which places the college around the 58th percentile nationally—solid but not exceptional performance. The earnings trajectory shows steady growth from $43,713 at six years to the ten-year mark, indicating that graduates build their careers progressively rather than starting with high initial salaries.
Program-level outcomes vary significantly across Lycoming's academic offerings. Business Administration, which graduates about 43 students annually, provides the strongest financial returns with median earnings of $41,937 ten years out, making it the college's highest aggregate return program. Psychology, the most popular major with 47 graduates, shows more modest earnings at $33,281, while Criminology graduates earn around $33,518. These figures reflect early-career earnings patterns and suggest that business-focused students see the strongest immediate financial benefits.
The college's return profile is characteristic of small liberal arts institutions that prioritize broad-based education and personal development over specialized career training. While graduates don't achieve the earnings premiums seen at larger research universities or technical institutions, they benefit from the strong alumni networks, personalized career guidance, and well-rounded educational foundation that can support long-term career flexibility and growth in various fields.
Affordability at Lycoming College varies significantly by family income, with the college providing substantial financial aid to make attendance possible for students from diverse economic backgrounds. Low-income families pay about $10,756 annually after aid, which represents strong affordability for a private liberal arts college. Middle-income families see net prices around $16,467, while higher-income households pay approximately $26,790—still reasonable compared to many private institutions of similar size and mission.
The college's financial aid strategy appears designed to maintain economic diversity while ensuring that families across the income spectrum can access the small college experience. This pricing structure reflects Lycoming's commitment to serving first-generation and Pell-eligible students, who make up about 40% and 37% of the student body respectively. The college's ability to keep net prices manageable for low- and middle-income families helps explain its "Mobility Engine" designation and supports its mission of providing access to students who might not otherwise consider private higher education.
Debt levels at graduation are moderate but require careful consideration. Students typically leave with about $27,000 in federal loans, while families who choose Parent PLUS borrowing take on an additional $20,415 on average. These amounts are manageable given the college's graduation rates and the personal attention that helps students complete their degrees, but families should plan carefully to ensure that the total investment aligns with expected career outcomes and long-term financial goals.
Lycoming College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
