Westminster College delivers above-average earnings outcomes that place graduates in a strong financial position ten years after enrollment, with particularly solid performance given the college's small size and regional focus.
The combination of manageable debt levels and zero default rates demonstrates that Westminster graduates successfully navigate their post-college financial responsibilities.
Westminster College is a small private nonprofit institution in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, that combines the personalized attention of a liberal arts college with practical career preparation. While not ranked among the very top tier nationally, Westminster delivers above-average long-term earnings outcomes, with graduates earning a median of $53,861 ten years after enrollment. This places the college in the 63rd percentile nationally for earnings, demonstrating solid return on investment despite its modest profile.
The college serves a moderately diverse student body, with about 25% of students receiving Pell Grants and a similar share being first-generation college students. Westminster falls into the "Opportunity Builders" category for economic mobility, meaning it provides reasonable access to students from various backgrounds while delivering outcomes that help them advance economically. The institution maintains strong completion rates, with nearly 66% of students graduating within six years.
As a small private college, Westminster offers the advantages of close faculty-student relationships and a tight-knit campus community. The college's focus on business and biological sciences reflects its practical orientation toward career preparation, while its Pennsylvania location provides access to regional employment markets in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Westminster College's academic strength centers on two core areas that reflect the institution's practical, career-focused approach. Business Administration represents the college's largest and most successful program, graduating 39 students annually with early career earnings around $38,649. This program combines Westminster's small-college advantages—personalized attention, close faculty relationships, and tight alumni networks—with practical business skills that translate well to regional employment markets.
Biology serves as the college's second major focus, graduating 26 students per year with early earnings of approximately $37,208. This program often serves as preparation for graduate study in health sciences or as a foundation for careers in research, environmental science, or biotechnology. The modest early earnings reflect the field's typical trajectory, where many graduates pursue additional education or start in entry-level positions that offer significant growth potential.
Both programs benefit from Westminster's small scale, which allows for hands-on learning experiences, undergraduate research opportunities, and close mentoring relationships that larger institutions often cannot provide. The college's regional focus means these programs are well-connected to local employers and graduate schools, creating clear pathways for students to advance their careers after graduation.
Westminster College graduates achieve solid long-term financial outcomes that exceed what might be expected from a small private institution. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $53,861, placing the college in the 63rd percentile nationally for earnings outcomes. While this represents above-average performance, graduates do face some headwinds in the early career years, with six-year earnings starting at $43,938 before growing substantially by the ten-year mark.
The college's strongest programs center on business administration and biological sciences, which together represent the majority of Westminster's academic focus. Business Administration graduates, who make up the largest cohort with 39 students annually, earn around $38,649 in early career positions. Biology majors, the second-largest program with 26 graduates per year, see similar early earnings at approximately $37,208. While these starting salaries are modest, Westminster's graduates often see meaningful earnings growth over time, suggesting that the college's emphasis on foundational skills and professional development pays dividends in the longer term.
The college's small size means graduates enter a more intimate alumni network, which can be particularly valuable in regional markets where personal connections matter for career advancement. Westminster's focus on practical, career-oriented education in business and sciences provides students with marketable skills, even if the immediate financial returns require some patience to fully materialize.
Westminster College demonstrates strong commitment to affordability across income levels, with net prices that make private education accessible to many families. Low-income students pay approximately $19,065 annually, while middle-income families see costs around $19,699 per year. Even high-income families face relatively modest net prices of $23,986, reflecting the college's substantial financial aid efforts to keep education within reach.
The college's affordability extends beyond sticker price to actual borrowing patterns. Students typically graduate with about $26,060 in federal loan debt, a manageable level given Westminster's solid long-term earnings outcomes. Parent PLUS borrowing averages $22,900, indicating that many families choose to contribute directly to their student's education costs. The college maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, suggesting that graduates are generally able to manage their debt obligations successfully.
Westminster's financial aid strategy appears designed to compete effectively with public institutions while maintaining the value proposition of private education. The relatively consistent net prices across income bands indicate that the college uses aid strategically to make attendance feasible for families who might otherwise choose less expensive public alternatives.
Westminster College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
