Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Dickinson College #784 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,139, placing Dickinson College in the 71.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Dickinson College #488 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. ---
Azimuth ranks Dickinson College #784 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Dickinson College enrolls roughly 2,273 undergraduates. Retention stands at 92.0% and the six-year graduation rate is 79.8%, reflecting strong student persistence through degree completion. Where Dickinson College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Dickinson College #488 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,139, demonstrating solid long-term financial outcomes. The college's academic portfolio centers on Social Sciences, a field cluster that typically leads to stable career pathways and competitive earnings trajectories. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Dickinson College sits in the 31.6 percentile for access and the 9.3 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. With 12.8% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 12.2% identifying as first-generation, the college enrolls a meaningful share of students from lower-income and underrepresented backgrounds. As a private baccalaureate institution, Dickinson College carries a higher sticker price than public alternatives, though need-based aid reshapes the actual cost for many admitted families. Mobility outcomes sit in the 82.3 percentile, reflecting how well graduates from diverse backgrounds convert their education into upward economic progress.
Dickinson College's published cost of attendance is $82,902. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $40,755, families in the lower-middle range pay around $15,081, middle-income families pay about $16,316, families in the upper-middle range pay approximately $22,696, and higher-income families pay roughly $45,175. Azimuth ranks Dickinson College #1292 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. Dickinson's aid structure is need-based, with no merit component. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to close the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. The breadth of the aid portfolio reflects Dickinson's commitment to meeting demonstrated need, though the specific composition of aid packages — grants, loans, and work-study — varies by family circumstance and year. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $45,729; 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 $67,139, median federal debt of $19,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $215 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Dickinson College is a strong fit for students interested in the social sciences who want a small liberal arts college experience in PA, Northeast. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,139, placing Dickinson College in the 71.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The college enrolls students from a range of backgrounds, with 12.8% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 12.2% identifying as first-generation. The published net price for higher-income families is $45,175, and median federal debt at graduation is $19,000. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 42.1% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors Social Sciences fields. Students whose interests align with these areas will find strong outcomes at this private university.
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
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Dickinson College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
International Business
66 graduates
Economics
68 graduates
Area Studies
32 graduates
International Relations and National Security Studies
29 graduates
Political Science and Government
49 graduates
Dickinson College's program mix is anchored in the social sciences, reflecting the institution's liberal arts identity and emphasis on analytical, policy-oriented, and humanities-adjacent fields. Economics is the largest program with 68 graduates, followed by International Business, Political Science, Psychology, General, and Area Studies.
Across 0 ranked programs, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes that align with the institution's interdisciplinary strengths. The earnings pattern reflects Dickinson College's positioning as a selective liberal arts college.
International Business leads with median four-year earnings of $84,990 from 66 graduates, followed by Economics at $78,378 and Area Studies at $63,874. These outcomes demonstrate that graduates across the institution's strongest fields move into stable, well-compensated careers.
International Relations and National Security Studies and Political Science round out the highest-earning programs, with graduates earning $62,570 and $59,834 respectively. Many of Dickinson College's dominant programs are pathways where four-year earnings reflect direct labor-market entry—particularly in business, economics, and applied social sciences.
Others, including psychology, biology, and philosophy, are grad-school-dependent fields where a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school, making four-year earnings a partial measure of trajectory. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Dickinson College's program families align with national labor-market trends and wage growth across sectors.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Catholic University Of America Higher acceptance rate (40.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 88 miles away; similar graduate earnings | DC | 84% | $73,250 | Compare |
Washington College Higher acceptance rate (22.5 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 91 miles away; similar graduate earnings | MD | 66% | $65,518 | Compare |
Muhlenberg College Higher acceptance rate (20.9 percentage points higher) and located 93 miles away; similar graduate earnings | PA | 64% | $69,107 | Compare |
University At Albany Higher acceptance rate (26.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | NY | 70% | $67,979 | Compare |
Hobart William Smith Colleges Higher acceptance rate (14.2 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | NY | 57% | $68,831 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cedar Crest College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#22555 ranked) | PA | 84% | $59,460 | #22555 | Compare |
Trocaire College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#22522 ranked) | NY | 97% | $55,318 | #22522 | Compare |
Hampden-Sydney College Similar quality tier (#22565 ranked) | VA | 41% | $67,640 | #22565 | Compare |
Providence College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#22566 ranked) | RI | 51% | $87,054 | #22566 | Compare |
Bellarmine University Similar quality tier (#22519 ranked) | KY | 86% | $62,069 | #22519 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Dickinson College's published cost of attendance is $82,902. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $40,755, families in the lower-middle range pay around $15,081, middle-income families pay about $16,316, families in the upper-middle range pay approximately $22,696, and higher-income families pay roughly $45,175.
Azimuth ranks Dickinson College #1292 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.
Dickinson's aid structure is need-based, with no merit component. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to close the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. The breadth of the aid portfolio reflects Dickinson's commitment to meeting demonstrated need, though the specific composition of aid packages — grants, loans, and work-study — varies by family circumstance and year.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $45,729; 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 $67,139, median federal debt of $19,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $215 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 Dickinson College earn median 4-year earnings of $67,139, placing Dickinson College in the 71.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Dickinson College #488 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
That earnings outcome reflects both the institution's social-sciences-focused curriculum and the career pathways its graduates pursue in professional services, education, and nonprofit sectors. The earnings pattern is anchored by International Business, which combines substantial enrollment with solid mid-career pay.
Economics is the largest program with 68 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $78,378, representing 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The International Business program graduates 66 students earning $84,990 four years after enrollment, while Political Science and Psychology, General round out the top programs with $59,834 and $58,706 respectively.
The concentration in Social Sciences (representing 27% of degrees) alongside Business (10%) and Education (4%) shapes a graduate profile oriented toward stable, mission-driven careers where earnings grow steadily over the first decade after enrollment.
