Arcadia University

Arcadia University's published cost of attendance is $64,645. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $23,127, middle-income families pay around $25,978, and higher-income families pay approximately $34,339.

Azimuth ranks Arcadia University #1216 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Arcadia University meets demonstrated financial need through a combination of need-based scholarships, grants, and federal aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA, and the university works with students to construct aid packages that bridge the gap between sticker price and net price.

The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to support access across income levels. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $29,652; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,044, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Arcadia University earn median 4-year earnings of $60,044, placing Arcadia University in the 45.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,200 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Arcadia University in the 40.0 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Arcadia University #766 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's concentration in biological sciences and health-related fields, which tend to support steady career progression and earnings growth through the early career years.

The earnings pattern is anchored in health professions and life sciences. Biology, General is the largest program with 60 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $73,377, performing at 1.3x the national benchmark for the field [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

The Psychology, General program graduates 45 students with median 4-year earnings of $55,517, also performing above benchmark at 1.1x. Communication and Media Studies and Business Administration round out the largest programs, with Criminology rounding out the top five.

The dominance of Biological Sciences — which represents the institution's primary degree focus — helps explain why Arcadia's graduates see earnings outcomes that track above the median for comparable private institutions and benefit from strong employer demand in healthcare and life sciences sectors.

Arcadia University's program mix centers on Biological Sciences, reflecting the institution's identity as a health-sciences-focused private university. Biology, General is the largest program with 60 graduates, followed by Psychology, General (45 graduates), Communication and Media Studies (24 graduates), Business Administration (19 graduates), and Criminology (17 graduates).

Across 28 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, serving roughly 394 students annually. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in health-related and applied fields.

Artificial Intelligence leads with median earnings of $86,116 four years after enrollment, followed by Biology, General at $73,377, Mathematics at $66,995, Psychology, General at $55,517, and Criminology at $47,772. This earnings pattern reflects Arcadia University's concentration in Biological Sciences, where graduates enter stable, in-demand career pathways with consistent wage growth.

Several of these programs represent high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes. Others, particularly those in foundational sciences and psychology, are grad-school-dependent fields where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Arcadia University's dominant program families align with national labor-market demand and wage trends.