Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 80.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 72/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Washington & Jefferson College, a small private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania (about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh), scores 72 on overall ROI (Fair Value tier) - the strongest score in our dataset. Tuition is $29,392 with average net price of $25,002 (~$100,008 over four years). The score is built on strong fundamentals: median earnings six years out are $45,400, climbing to $67,918 by year ten - well above national averages and powered by significant grad-school placement (W&J has notable medical, law, and dental school feeder reputation). The 7.3-year payback period is genuinely good, comfortably under benchmark. Median debt is $27,000. Completion is 70% - among the strongest in our dataset and a real differentiator. The 84% three-year repayment rate is excellent. The 0.33 earnings premium is solid for a small liberal arts college. W&J's strength is in pre-professional pipelines (pre-med, pre-law, pre-dental, accounting, economics) where graduates exit to high-earning grad-school tracks. This is genuinely defensible value for academically-prepared students who can stack significant aid.
Washington & Jefferson College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $29,392/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,392/yr |
| Average net price | $25,002/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $100,008 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $67,918 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $45,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 69.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,295 |
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: $29,392/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,002/year, or roughly $100,008 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 $15,265/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,655/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $27,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $67,918 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.59, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $15,265 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,958 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,975 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,322 |
| $110,001+ | $29,655 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $15,265 net, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $13,958 - the cheapest tier (slight inversion). With Pell, PHEAA state grant, and W&J institutional aid, four-year cost runs about $56,000-$61,000. Strong value for low-income Pennsylvania students given the school's strong outcomes and grad-school placement.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $18,975 and $75,001-$110,000 jumps significantly to $32,322 - a big step-up at the upper-middle income tier. The $110,001-plus bracket actually pays slightly LESS at $29,655 - a notable inversion where the upper-middle band pays MORE than the highest-income tier. Middle-income families targeting pre-professional tracks should run W&J's specific calculator carefully.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,001 pay $29,655 - effectively full-pay at roughly $119,000 over four years. At this price for a small liberal arts college, W&J is competitive with Allegheny, Westminster, and similar Pennsylvania privates. Value is defensible primarily for pre-professional students; for general liberal arts, Penn State or Pitt at materially lower in-state pricing offer competitive alternatives.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Washington & Jefferson College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $57,026 | D |
| Business Administration and Management | $72,219 | C |
| Accounting | $83,516 | C+ |
| Biology | $29,926 | D |
| International Relations | $63,258 | C |
| English Language and Literature | $50,646 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $79,272 | - |
| Romance Languages | $61,972 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $68,066 | C |
| Economics | $72,305 | 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.
Accounting
Accounting earns C+ ROI: $59,401 first-year and $83,516 four-year median earnings against $27,000 median debt produce a 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio. 21 graduates per cohort feed Pittsburgh-region public accounting (Big Four and regional firms) plus corporate finance roles. Among the stronger small-college accounting outcomes nationally.
Economics
Economics earns C+ ROI: $50,402 first-year and $72,305 four-year median earnings against $27,000 median debt produce a 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio. 9 graduates per cohort feed finance, consulting, graduate economics, and law school pipelines. Good liberal arts pre-professional bet.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration is a major program at 30 graduates with $45,911 first-year and $72,219 four-year median earnings against $26,085 median debt (0.57 debt-to-earnings) - a C ROI grade. Strong four-year earnings curve indicates W&J business graduates progress meaningfully into mid-career roles in Pittsburgh-region corporate, finance, and operations.
Psychology
Psychology is W&J's largest program at 35 graduates with $29,363 first-year and $57,026 four-year median earnings against $27,000 median debt (0.92 debt-to-earnings) - a D ROI grade. The four-year curve doubles, indicating significant grad-school placement (clinical psychology, counseling, education, social work) that monetizes the credential. Patience and grad school are required.
Romance Languages
Romance Languages posts an F ROI grade: $19,700 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt produce a 1.37 debt-to-earnings ratio. 13 graduates per cohort. The four-year median climbs dramatically to $61,972, suggesting graduates pivot to law school, international careers, or graduate teaching. Front-loaded financial pain that resolves only with subsequent credentials.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 83.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 86.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Washington & Jefferson College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 80.6% |
| Enrollment | 1,295 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,324 |
W&J admits 81% of applicants - moderately accessible. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, fitting W&J's test-optional posture. The 70% completion rate is exceptionally strong for an 81%-admit school and is one of the major drivers of the ROI score. The selectivity-to-completion correlation is unusual here: W&J appears to admit broadly but graduates students at rates more typical of more-selective institutions, suggesting strong academic support and student-faculty engagement.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer set is uneven. Albright College and Albion College are the closest functional peers - small Pennsylvania/Michigan liberal arts colleges with similar mission. D'Youville University and Mount Mercy University are healthcare-leaning small Catholic schools. Bryn Athyn College of the New Church is a tiny niche outlier. Across this peer set, W&J is the strongest performer on ROI. Within the broader Pennsylvania small liberal arts cluster, W&J ranks well - comparable to Allegheny College and Westminster, and distinct from Lebanon Valley or Susquehanna in its pre-professional emphasis.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington & Jefferson College (this school) | 72 | $25,002 | $67,918 |
| D'Youville University | 78 | $20,433 | $66,942 |
| Mount Mercy University | 68 | $20,168 | $60,787 |
| Albion College | 65 | $14,301 | $58,799 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
With 1,295 students and a 31% Pell rate, W&J serves a moderately middle-income, predominantly Pennsylvania-and-Ohio student population with strong representation from Pittsburgh-area families. The fit profile: students targeting medical, dental, law, or other graduate professional schools, who want a small liberal-arts environment with strong pre-professional advising. Strongest tracks: Psychology (35 graduates - the largest), Business Administration (30), Accounting (21), Biology (20), English (18), International Relations (18). Computer Science is small but posts the highest four-year earnings.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Washington & Jefferson College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $25,002 a year after aid ($100,008 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $67,918 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.3 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: its 69.5% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $27,000 against $67,918 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.