Bradley University

Bradley University's published cost of attendance is $54,730. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $17,269, middle-income families pay around $18,609, and higher-income families pay approximately $30,008.

Azimuth ranks Bradley University #1060 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.

Bradley University participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The aid structure combines need-based scholarships with loans and work-study options as part of the overall package. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $41,405; 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 $74,150, 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 Bradley University earn median 4-year earnings of $74,150, placing Bradley University in the 74.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,240 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Bradley University in the 83.2 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Bradley University #292 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Bradley University's concentration in business and professional fields.

Nursing is the largest program with 79 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $86,941, performing at 1.0x the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication program graduates 65 students with median 4-year earnings of $58,515, and Psychology, General delivers median 4-year earnings of $64,378 across 64 graduates.

Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration round out the top five, with four-year earnings of $95,896 and $73,110 respectively. The dominance of Business — representing 20% of degrees — combined with meaningful enrollment in Engineering (13%) and Education (7%), creates a program portfolio aligned with stable, professional career pathways that support consistent long-term earnings growth.

Bradley University's program mix is anchored in business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's identity as a career-focused private university in the Midwest. Nursing is the largest program with 79 graduates annually, followed by Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Psychology, General, Mechanical Engineering, and Business Administration.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 1,155 students annually, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with national labor-market demand. The earnings pattern reflects Bradley's concentration in applied business and professional disciplines.

Computer Science leads with median earnings of $107,379 four years after enrollment, followed by Mechanical Engineering at $95,896, Nursing at $86,941, Accounting at $80,877, and Digital Marketing at $76,255. These outcomes correspond to the institution's strength in fields where employers recruit actively and career pathways are well-defined, particularly across Business (representing 20% of graduates) and Engineering (representing 13% of graduates).

Bradley's program portfolio emphasizes direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes rather than graduate-school-dependent trajectories. The concentration in applied business, accounting, finance, and engineering fields positions graduates for stable, well-compensated roles in regional and national job markets.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with sustained employer demand and wage growth trends.