Bucknell University

Bucknell University's published cost of attendance is $83,756. Net price by income band reveals how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $20,980, middle-income families pay around $23,679, and higher-income families pay approximately $55,724.

Azimuth ranks Bucknell University #1392 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.

Bucknell's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid distributed to meet demonstrated financial need. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to help bridge the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $62,750; 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 $96,035, 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 earn median 4-year earnings of $96,035, placing Bucknell University in the 93.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $10,216 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Bucknell University in the 86.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Bucknell University #42 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern at Bucknell University is anchored by Economics, which combines strong cohort scale with high four-year earnings and serves as the institution's highest aggregate-return program. The Economics program graduates 133 students with median earnings of $108,422 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks the program #47 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), at 1.3x the national benchmark for the field.

Political Science and Psychology, General also deliver strong outcomes, with Azimuth ranking Political Science #13 and Psychology, General #31 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, respectively. The dominant program family is Social Sciences, which accounts for 26% of degree output and drives much of the institution's earnings profile; Engineering (at 14%) and Business (at 12%) round out the program mix, reflecting a broad liberal arts foundation with meaningful concentrations in quantitative and professional fields.

Bucknell University's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, with meaningful concentrations in business, engineering, and the natural sciences — a portfolio that reflects the institution's liberal-arts-grounded identity paired with strong professional and quantitative offerings. Across 44 programs serving roughly 1,068 students annually, 14 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several sitting in the national top quartile for four-year earnings outcomes.

Economics anchors the institution's economic signature, combining meaningful cohort scale with strong median earnings four years after enrollment. Economics (133 graduates) is the largest program, with Azimuth ranking it #47 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and graduates earning median earnings of $108,422.

Political Science (97 graduates) follows as the second-largest program, with Azimuth ranking it #13 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $94,028. Psychology, General and Accounting round out the high-enrollment tier, with Azimuth ranking them #31 and #2, respectively, for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The highest-earning programs at Bucknell University skew toward quantitative and applied-professional fields. Azimuth ranks Computer Engineering #12 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $156,885 from a cohort of 32 graduates.

Accounting and Artificial Intelligence also deliver strong early-career outcomes, with Azimuth ranking them #2 and #46, respectively, for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These fields represent high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings closely reflect labor-market outcomes; the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides broader context for how these program families align with national hiring trends.