Gonzaga University

Gonzaga University's published cost of attendance is $73,178, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $20,833; middle-income families pay around $25,106; and higher-income families pay approximately $42,668.

Azimuth ranks Gonzaga University #1300 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.

Gonzaga's aid structure combines need-based grants with federal and institutional loans. The university participates in federal aid programs (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and offers institutional scholarships to qualifying students.

Families apply using the FAFSA, and the university works to meet demonstrated financial need through a mix of grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The gap between published sticker price and actual net price reflects Gonzaga's commitment to need-based aid, though the affordability rank indicates that post-graduation debt service remains a meaningful consideration relative to peer institutions.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $24,454, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $37,652; 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 $80,896, median federal debt of $24,454 projects to a monthly payment of about $276 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 Gonzaga University earn median 4-year earnings of $80,896, placing Gonzaga University in the 86.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions.

Graduates earn about $2,066 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Gonzaga University in the 66.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Gonzaga University #278 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects Gonzaga University's concentration in business and professional fields. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 260 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $84,459, at 1.2x the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field.

The Psychology, General program graduates 108 students earning $61,533, and the The Biology, General program graduates 96 students earning $55,707. Nursing and Accounting round out the top five, with 4-year earnings of $95,155 and $96,396 respectively.

The concentration in Business — which represents 25% of degrees — combined with meaningful enrollment in Social Sciences (13%) and Engineering (9%), helps explain the institution's above-average earnings outcomes and consistent payoff across the student body.

Gonzaga University's program mix is anchored in business, engineering, and professional fields — a portfolio shaped by the institution's Jesuit educational mission and regional market positioning in the Pacific Northwest. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 260 graduates, followed by Psychology, General, Biology, General, Nursing, and Accounting.

Across 32 programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with professional and applied-business pathways. The earnings pattern reflects Gonzaga's strength in business and engineering fields.

Computer Science leads with median earnings of $121,512 four years after enrollment, with 44 graduates. Accounting follows with 68 graduates earning $96,396, and Nursing delivers $95,155 for 82 graduates.

Mechanical Engineering and Business/Commerce, General round out the highest-earning programs, with graduates earning $93,816 and $84,459 respectively. These programs cluster in applied professional and technical fields where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect regional and national labor-market demand.

The program-mix signature — with Business representing 25% of degrees, Social Sciences at 13%, and Engineering at 9% — positions Gonzaga as a professional and applied-sciences-oriented private institution. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with labor-market growth and regional employer recruitment patterns in the Pacific Northwest.