University of Pittsburgh-Bradford
Bradford, Pennsylvania · Public · 88.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 75/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Pitt-Bradford scores 75 (Strong Value) overall, but the headline masks a serious completion problem: only 47.6% of students finish a degree, the weakest sub-score on the card. Graduates who do finish earn $44,300 at the six-year mark and $66,125 at ten years, with a 6.5-year payback on a $15,350 net price. Median debt of $24,250 produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.547 - workable but not comfortable. The Pitt brand and low price make this a reasonable bet for students who are confident they will complete; the completion rate is the real risk.
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford scores in the top 19% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,770/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $26,644/yr |
| Average net price | $15,350/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $61,400 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $66,125 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $44,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 995 |
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: $14,770/year ($26,644/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $15,350/year, or roughly $61,400 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 $9,138/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,352/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,250, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($44,300) and comes to 0.55, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $9,138 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,265 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,407 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,875 |
| $110,001+ | $23,352 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Pell-eligible families in the 0-$30,000 bracket pay $9,138 per year - a genuinely low net price. For low-income students who complete a degree, especially in nursing or computing, the financial outcome is reasonable. The completion rate risk applies equally here: students who leave without graduating still face debt obligations.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket jumps to $17,407 - nearly double the lowest bracket - and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket rises further to $18,875. Middle-income families get less subsidy than low-income students, and the 6.5-year payback period is meaningful at these price points. Program choice matters significantly: health and computing programs justify the cost; lower-earning fields do not.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more face a net price of $23,352 at Pitt-Bradford.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Pittsburgh-Bradford with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,013 | F |
| Biology | $62,744 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,837 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $65,892 | C+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $57,594 | C |
| Psychology | $54,379 | D |
| Social Sciences, Other | $44,520 | - |
| Teacher Education | $45,202 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $83,313 | B |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $75,950 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the strongest program at Pitt-Bradford by earnings: 8 graduates earn $72,251 at year one and $83,313 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.374 (ROI grade B). This program represents a clear economic rationale for attending Pitt-Bradford.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS graduates (18) earn $49,298 at year one and $65,892 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.548 and an ROI grade of C+. At a $15,350 net price, the cost-to-outcome ratio is defensible for in-state students.
Business Administration and Management
Business (15 graduates) earns $45,781 at year one and $57,594 at year four - the lowest four-year figure among the school's business-adjacent programs. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.582 (ROI grade C) means a typical graduate carries debt equal to over half a year's earnings. Students should weigh whether a regional Pitt campus business degree commands the premium needed to justify the borrowing.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice has the third-highest enrollment volume at 20 graduates but earns only $36,959 at year one and $52,837 at year four, with a D-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.731. Graduates carry $27,000 in median debt against modest starting salaries. Students choosing this path at Pitt-Bradford face a slow payback and limited wage growth - most public safety careers do not reward liberal arts bachelor's degrees at a meaningful premium.
Biology
Biology (22 graduates) earns $33,576 at year one and $62,744 at year four, reflecting the well-documented pattern of biology graduates entering graduate or medical programs that delay near-term earnings. The D-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.745 and $25,000 median debt look worse before year four; students planning for health professional school should factor in additional borrowing beyond the undergraduate figure.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the highest-volume program with 28 graduates, yet it earns only $24,916 at year one and $45,013 at year four - an F-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.084. Graduates carry $27,000 in median debt and earn less in their first year than they borrowed. This is the worst financial outcome among Pitt-Bradford programs and should be approached with caution unless students are planning immediate entry into physical therapy or graduate programs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 81.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 79.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Pittsburgh-Bradford’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 | 88.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-580 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-28 |
| Enrollment | 995 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 47.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,088 |
Pitt-Bradford admits 88.5% of applicants with SAT math ranging 500-580 and ACT composite 20-28, placing it firmly in the open-access tier. The Pitt brand does carry weight with employers. Admission is not a barrier here; retention and completion are the real hurdles.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh-Bradford (this school) | 75 | $15,350 | $66,125 |
| Charter Oak State College | 77 | $15,815 | $64,209 |
| University of Minnesota-Crookston | 75 | $12,212 | $58,056 |
| University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies Online | 72 | $10,864 | $66,479 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 51 | $18,134 | $56,148 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
Who Thrives Here
Students who struggle academically or have uncertain plans face below-even odds of graduating - the 47.6% completion rate means more than half of enrolling students leave without a degree. The 89% acceptance rate and SAT Math 25th percentile of 500 reflect an open-enrollment posture.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, University of Pittsburgh-Bradford pays off. You'd pay about $15,350 a year after aid ($61,400 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $66,125 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.5 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: its 47.6% graduation rate.
Median debt of $24,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $44,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, 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.
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford: Common Questions
Is University of Pittsburgh-Bradford worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students University of Pittsburgh-Bradford pays off. It scores 75/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $15,350 a year after aid ($61,400 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $66,125 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.5 years to earn back.
How much does University of Pittsburgh-Bradford 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 $15,350 a year, or roughly $61,400 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 University of Pittsburgh-Bradford graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $66,125 ten years after enrolling, roughly $24,325 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 University of Pittsburgh-Bradford?
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 6.5 years for University of Pittsburgh-Bradford. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Pittsburgh-Bradford graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,250, against average earnings of $44,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. 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 University of Pittsburgh-Bradford?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.6%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.