Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 28.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 87/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Bucknell University scores 87 (Strong Value). The 5.2-year payback period, $62,400 average 6-year earnings, and 86.3% completion rate combine to produce a genuinely strong financial case for a school charging $67,812 in tuition. Median debt of $27,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.433 are managed well by graduates; the repayment rate is 92.7% at 3 years and 95.9% at 7 years. Bucknell's engineering programs - mechanical, chemical, civil, computer - are the core ROI drivers, but economics, accounting, and marketing also produce strong outcomes. The 12.4% Pell grant rate reveals a predominantly affluent student body at a net price of $40,766.
The median graduate earns $93,807 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Bucknell University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $67,812/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $67,812/yr |
| Average net price | $40,766/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $163,064 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $93,807 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $62,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 86.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,876 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $67,812/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $40,766/year, or roughly $163,064 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $20,980/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $55,724/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($62,400) and comes to 0.43, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $20,980 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,276 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,679 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $28,165 |
| $110,001+ | $55,724 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (0-$30,000) pay $20,980 per year at Bucknell - $83,920 over four years. Against $62,400 average earnings and a 5.2-year payback period, completers do fine - but the $84k all-in cost for a Pell-eligible family at a school with a 12.4% Pell rate is a notable commitment.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $23,679 per year and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $28,165. Total four-year costs of $94,716-$112,660. Against $62,400 average earnings and a 5.2-year payback, these are financially supportable for engineering or business majors. Middle-income families paying $94-112k for Bucknell are getting a genuine strong-value education for STEM students; the ROI case weakens for humanities and social science majors at these price points.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($110,000+) pay $55,724 per year - $222,896 over four years. The 5.2-year payback against $62,400 average earnings is still solid for an engineering or business major, but the long-run total cost is substantial.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Bucknell University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $108,422 | B |
| International Relations | $94,028 | C+ |
| Biology | $85,687 | C |
| Psychology | $66,206 | C+ |
| Accounting | $130,990 | B |
| Mechanical Engineering | $99,860 | A |
| Computer Engineering | $156,885 | - |
| Marketing | $70,868 | B |
| Romance Languages | $76,364 | C+ |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $66,963 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering (35 graduates) earns $90,171 at year one and $156,885 at year four - the highest 4-year earnings on campus. No debt or debt-to-earnings data is available for this program. The earnings trajectory from $90k to $157k over four years reflects both career progression and the premium Bucknell computer engineers command in the Philadelphia, New York, and mid-Atlantic tech sectors. This is Bucknell's clearest ROI leader by raw earnings.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (46 graduates) earns $79,391 at year one and $99,860 at year four, with an A-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.246 and $19,500 median debt. The A grade reflects the combination of strong year-one earnings and below-average debt. Mechanical engineering graduates access manufacturing, defense, aerospace, and consulting employers in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Economics
Economics (121 graduates) earns $70,946 at year one and $108,422 at year four, with a B-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.365 and $25,888 median debt. This is Bucknell's highest-volume non-engineering program and one of its strongest outcomes. Economics graduates from Bucknell place into financial services, consulting, and graduate programs at competitive rates - the Freeman College of Management provides a business-adjacent pipeline. The 4-year trajectory to $108k is consistent with mid-level finance and consulting placement.
Accounting
Accounting (70 graduates) earns $75,776 at year one and $130,990 at year four, with a B-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.355 and $26,881 median debt. The 4-year figure of $130,990 is exceptional for an accounting program - it likely reflects graduates who have passed CPA and moved into public accounting senior associate or manager roles at Big Four and regional firms. Bucknell's accounting pipeline is a genuine standout for a school its size.
Biology
Biology (75 graduates) earns $38,765 at year one and $85,687 at year four, with a C-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.688 and $26,672 median debt. The C grade reflects the standard pre-med suppression: biology graduates bound for medical or graduate school have near-zero income in year one. The 4-year jump to $85,687 reflects the strong professional school placement Bucknell biology achieves, though the debt financing period before high medical incomes arrive is financially demanding. Students not on a medical school track should evaluate carefully.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 91.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 92.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 92.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 95.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Bucknell University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 28.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 660-740 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 650-730 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 30-33 |
| Enrollment | 3,876 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 12.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,254 |
Bucknell's 28.9% admission rate places it in the selective tier of small private liberal arts-engineering universities. SAT 660-740 Math and 650-730 Reading are the ranges for the middle half of the class. ACT 30-33 composite is the parallel measure. Financial aid is available but Bucknell's low Pell rate (12.4%) suggests limited institutional commitment to socioeconomic diversity.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucknell University (this school) | 87 | $40,766 | $93,807 |
| Wake Forest University | 88 | $28,719 | $78,158 |
| Trinity College | 87 | $34,832 | $90,779 |
| Trinity University | 85 | $23,464 | $71,668 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
Bucknell admits 28.9% of applicants, with SAT mid-ranges of 660-740 Math and 650-730 Reading, ACT 30-33. This is a moderately selective private university in rural central Pennsylvania (Lewisburg). Bucknell is a genuine engineering powerhouse for the size, with consistently strong outcomes across all four engineering disciplines. Students entering STEM fields, especially engineering, economics, and accounting, will find compelling ROI. Students entering biology, English, or arts will experience a steeper payback trajectory despite the Bucknell brand.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Bucknell University pays off. You'd pay about $40,766 a year after aid ($163,064 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $93,807 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.2 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 86.3% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $62,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Bucknell University: Common Questions
Is Bucknell University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Bucknell University pays off. It scores 87/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $40,766 a year after aid ($163,064 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $93,807 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.2 years to earn back.
How much does Bucknell University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $40,766 a year, or roughly $163,064 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Bucknell University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $93,807 ten years after enrolling, roughly $52,007 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Bucknell University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.2 years for Bucknell University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Bucknell University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $62,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Bucknell University?
The six-year graduation rate is 86.3%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.