Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #599 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,612 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing College of Our Lady of the Elms in the 85.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #690 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. ---
Azimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #599 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university in Chicopee, MA, College of Our Lady of the Elms enrolls roughly 949 undergraduates. Retention is 76.0% and the six-year graduation rate is 68.1%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a master's institution. Where College of Our Lady of the Elms performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #471 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $64,421. The institution's focus on Health fields creates a concentrated program portfolio aligned with stable, in-demand careers that support strong early-career financial outcomes. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. College of Our Lady of the Elms sits in the 43.3 percentile for access and the 55.7 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. 45.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 35.2% are first-generation college students, reflecting a student body with meaningful financial need. Mobility outcomes sit in the 53.4 percentile, indicating that while graduates achieve solid earnings, the institution's outcomes relative to peer institutions in the access-and-mobility space remain moderate. For families weighing affordability and long-term financial outcomes together, Financial GPS tool provides personalized projections by major and debt scenario.
College of Our Lady of the Elms' published cost of attendance is $54,027. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $8,099, middle-income families pay around $17,539, and higher-income families pay approximately $25,491. Azimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #632 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. The college's aid structure combines need-based institutional aid with federal and state grant programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the college works to meet demonstrated financial need through a mix of grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The gap between published cost and actual net price reflects the college's commitment to making a private education accessible across income levels. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $28,117; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $64,421, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
College of Our Lady of the Elms is a strong fit for students interested in health professions who want a private nonprofit college experience in Chicopee, MA. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $64,421, placing the institution in the 64.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $9,612 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 85.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The aid structure is need-based. For admitted Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 45.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 35.2% are first-generation — that structure can meaningfully close the gap between the published cost and what families actually pay. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 85.3% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors health professions over other fields. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find the earnings trajectory and aid package among the strongest in the region.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the College Of Our Lady Of The Elms hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences Similar quality tier (#15669 ranked) | NC | 23% | $58,708 | #15669 | Compare |
Caldwell University Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15666 ranked) | NJ | 71% | $53,843 | #15666 | Compare |
Bay Path University Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15665 ranked) | MA | 85% | $55,383 | #15665 | Compare |
Central Christian College Of Kansas Similar quality tier (#15662 ranked) | KS | 53% | $44,468 | #15662 | Compare |
Rose-Hulman Institute Of Technology Similar quality tier (#15682 ranked) | IN | 77% | $101,253 | #15682 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
College of Our Lady of the Elms' published cost of attendance is $54,027. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $8,099, middle-income families pay around $17,539, and higher-income families pay approximately $25,491.
Azimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #632 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.
The college's aid structure combines need-based institutional aid with federal and state grant programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the college works to meet demonstrated financial need through a mix of grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.
The gap between published cost and actual net price reflects the college's commitment to making a private education accessible across income levels. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $28,117; 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 $64,421, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 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 College of Our Lady of the Elms earn median 4-year earnings of $64,421, placing the institution in the 64.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,612 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing College of Our Lady of the Elms in the 85.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks College of Our Lady of the Elms #471 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's concentration in health-related fields.
Nursing is the largest program with 108 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $97,773, representing 1.1x the national benchmark for the field. The Social Work program graduates 46 students with median 4-year earnings of $60,938, while Communication Disorders Sciences and Services and Psychology, General round out the top programs with 19 and 16 graduates respectively.
This program mix anchors College of Our Lady of the Elms's outcomes in fields with stable, predictable career pathways and consistent employer demand across the region and nationally.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
108 graduates
Health and Medical Administrative Services
5 graduates
Social Work
46 graduates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
14 graduates
Psychology, General
16 graduates
College of Our Lady of the Elms's program mix is anchored in health sciences and nursing — a portfolio shaped by the institution's mission as a Catholic liberal arts college with deep roots in healthcare education. Nursing is the largest program with 108 graduates, followed by Social Work, Communication Disorders Sciences and Services, Psychology, General, and Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.
The dominant program family, Health, accounts for a substantial share of the institution's degree output, reflecting the college's positioning as a health-professions-focused institution. Median earnings four years after enrollment cluster in the mid-range for health and applied-professional fields.
Nursing graduates earn $97,773, while Social Work graduates earn $60,938. Among the highest-earning programs, Nursing graduates earn $97,773 four years after enrollment with 108 graduates, and Social Work graduates earn $60,938.
These earnings reflect the direct-to-workforce pathway typical of nursing and health-professions graduates, where employment outcomes are relatively stable and predictable across cohorts. The college's program concentration in health and applied-professional fields creates a coherent labor-market alignment.
Graduates enter sectors with consistent hiring demand — nursing, healthcare administration, and related health professions — where four-year earnings reflect entry-level and early-career compensation in those fields. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these health-professions pathways align with national labor-market trends and long-term career sustainability.
