Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Wesleyan University #435 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $72,119, placing Wesleyan University in the 73.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Wesleyan University sits in the 61.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting how consistently graduates outperform what similar students earn at comparable institutions. Wesleyan University's composite ranking reflects strong graduate earnings relative to cost and peer outcomes, with graduates earning well above what similar students achieve at comparable private four-year institutions. Median 4-year earnings and earnings beyond expectations both place Wesleyan University in the upper tier among nonprofit four-year institutions, making it a strong option for students weighing long-term financial return alongside a liberal arts education.
Azimuth ranks Wesleyan University #435 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 70.7 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university in Middletown, CT, Wesleyan University enrolls roughly 3,067 undergraduates. Retention stands at 94.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 92.6%, reflecting strong degree-completion outcomes relative to comparable institutions. Where Wesleyan University performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Wesleyan University #197 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 86.7 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $72,119, placing Wesleyan University in the 73.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Wesleyan University in the 61.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program family is Social Sciences, a field whose graduates tend to enter diverse career paths that reward the analytical and writing skills developed at a liberal arts institution. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Wesleyan University admits about 16.5% of applicants — a selectivity level that, by design, limits the size of each entering class and the number of low-income students the institution enrolls (14.2% Pell, 19.6% first-generation). Wesleyan University sits in the 60.8 percentile for access and the 20.3 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a high sticker price that is partially offset by need-based aid for qualifying families. Mobility sits in the 69.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Wesleyan University's published cost of attendance is $89,020, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $4,871; middle-income families pay around $6,175; higher-income families pay approximately $51,140. Azimuth ranks Wesleyan University #1136 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. Wesleyan's aid structure is need-based, with demonstrated financial need met in full under current financial aid policies. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and work-study is available as part of the aid package. The difference between published cost and net price reflects Wesleyan's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels, though the absolute net-price figures remain substantial for many families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $59,531; 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 $72,119, median federal debt of $17,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $192 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Wesleyan University is a strong fit for students drawn to the social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary liberal arts who want a private residential college experience in CT with strong long-term financial outcomes. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Wesleyan University in the 61.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $72,119 four years after enrollment, placing Wesleyan University in the 73.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. 14.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 19.6% are first-generation students — a meaningful access footprint for a selective private institution. Wesleyan University sits in the 92.6 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — suggesting that Pell-eligible students who enroll and graduate tend to achieve strong outcomes. Fit depends on two realistic filters: Wesleyan University admits about 16.5% of applicants, making it highly competitive, and its program mix is concentrated in Social Sciences and related liberal arts disciplines rather than applied-professional fields. Students whose academic interests align with that orientation and who can navigate the selective application process will find the earnings trajectory and access profile among the stronger combinations available at private liberal arts institutions.
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
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This is the Wesleyan University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
11 graduates
Wesleyan University's program mix is anchored in social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary fields — a signature consistent with its liberal-arts identity and its concentration in Social Sciences. The five largest programs by graduate count are Psychology, General (148 graduates), Economics (113 graduates), Political Science (97 graduates), Area Studies (80 graduates), and English Language and Literature, General (72 graduates).
Across 31 programs serving roughly 1,195 students annually, the mix reflects a broad humanistic curriculum rather than a concentrated professional or STEM portfolio. Social Sciences accounts for 24% of degrees, Arts for 12%, and other STEM fields for 4%, together illustrating the institution's commitment to analytical and interpretive disciplines over applied-professional tracks.
The program with the highest aggregate return — combining cohort scale with strong earnings — is Science, Technology and Society, which serves as a key economic anchor within Wesleyan University's degree portfolio. Across 1 programs that meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, the strongest earnings outcomes tend to cluster in quantitative social sciences and economics-adjacent fields, where graduates enter finance, consulting, and technology roles that reward analytical training.
These programs are high-mobility pathways where four-year earnings reflect direct labor-market outcomes rather than a graduate-school holding pattern. For context on how Azimuth evaluates program rankings, see [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
Several other programs at Wesleyan University follow a grad-school-dependent trajectory — particularly in biology, psychology, and humanities fields — where four-year earnings undercount the longer-term trajectory of graduates who continue to medical, law, or doctoral programs. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with national labor-market demand.
Taken together, Wesleyan University's program mix rewards students who pair a liberal-arts foundation with deliberate post-graduation planning, whether entering the workforce directly or continuing to advanced study.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Wesleyan University's published cost of attendance is $89,020, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $4,871; middle-income families pay around $6,175; higher-income families pay approximately $51,140.
Azimuth ranks Wesleyan University #1136 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.
Wesleyan's aid structure is need-based, with demonstrated financial need met in full under current financial aid policies. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and work-study is available as part of the aid package.
The difference between published cost and net price reflects Wesleyan's commitment to making attendance affordable across income levels, though the absolute net-price figures remain substantial for many families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $59,531; 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 $72,119, median federal debt of $17,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $192 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 Wesleyan University earn median 4-year earnings of $72,119, placing Wesleyan University in the 73.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Wesleyan University in the 61.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Wesleyan University #197 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern at Wesleyan University reflects its concentration in Social Sciences and related analytical fields. Social Sciences accounts for 24% of degrees, with Arts representing 12% and other STEM fields contributing 4%.
The highest aggregate-return program is Science, Technology and Society, which combines meaningful cohort scale with strong four-year earnings outcomes, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile. Among the largest programs by graduate count, Psychology, General (148 graduates), Economics ((113 graduates), and Political Science (97 graduates) anchor the degree portfolio, while Area Studies and English Language and Literature, General represent fields where graduates in CT and beyond tend to see strong early-career demand.
Across these fields, the breadth of Wesleyan University's program mix supports a wide range of career trajectories, with outcomes that compare favorably against the no-degree earnings baseline of $34,809 for working adults in CT with only a high school credential.
Consider these schools with similar outcomes but higher acceptance rates:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Connecticut Higher acceptance rate (36.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 27 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CT | 54% | $73,997 | Compare |
Connecticut College Higher acceptance rate (21.2 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 31 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CT | 38% | $75,001 | Compare |
Brandeis University Higher acceptance rate (18.2 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 91 miles away; similar graduate earnings | MA | 35% | $77,231 | Compare |
The Catholic University Of America Higher acceptance rate (66.7 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | DC | 84% | $73,250 | Compare |
Bryn Mawr College Higher acceptance rate (14 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | PA | 31% | $75,217 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trinity College Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15217 ranked) | CT | 29% | $90,779 | #15217 | Compare |
Saint Peter's University Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15199 ranked) | NJ | 90% | $57,815 | #15199 | Compare |
Azusa Pacific University Similar quality tier (#15227 ranked) | CA | 88% | $66,677 | #15227 | Compare |
Wentworth Institute Of Technology Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15229 ranked) | MA | 91% | $82,721 | #15229 | Compare |
Saint Louis University Similar quality tier (#15231 ranked) | MO | 75% | $70,783 | #15231 | Compare |
