Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut · Private Nonprofit · 16.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 85/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut scores 85 out of 100 (Strong Value). Enrollment sits at 3,067. The school admits 16.5% of applicants, placing it in the highly selective tier. Six-year average earnings are $46,400 and the 10-year median is $73,897. Completion at 92.6% is exceptional. Median debt of $17,000 is low for the sector, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.366 is healthy. Payback clocks at 6.7 years. The 90.6% repayment rate at three years signals strong graduate financial health. Net price averages $30,177, but the income-based aid structure is favorable: low-income families pay as little as $3,604-$4,871 per year.
Wesleyan University scores in the top 9% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Wesleyan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $70,342/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $70,342/yr |
| Average net price | $30,177/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $120,708 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $73,897 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $46,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $180 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 92.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,067 |
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: $70,342/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $30,177/year, or roughly $120,708 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 $4,871/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $51,140/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,000, which works out to about $180 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($46,400) and comes to 0.37, 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 | $4,871 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $3,604 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,175 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,294 |
| $110,001+ | $51,140 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $4,871/year - and those in the $30,001-48,000 bracket pay even less at $3,604/year. This represents genuinely transformative aid. Low-income students accepted to Wesleyan are entering a highly selective, high-completion, high-10-year-earnings institution for roughly the cost of a community college.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48-75k bracket pays $6,175/year and the 75-110k bracket rises to $17,294/year - a steeper jump. Families in the $75-110k range face a more significant ask.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110,000 pay $51,140/year - approaching full sticker. At this price, the 10-year earnings of $73,897 and 6.7-year payback represent a reasonable return.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Wesleyan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $71,932 | B |
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.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Wesleyan's only program with available earnings data is Liberal Arts and Sciences, covering 10 graduates. One-year earnings of $39,764 grow to $71,932 by year four, reflecting the graduate school-to-career trajectory typical of liberal arts graduates. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.406 on $16,125 median debt earns a B grade - notably, the program-level debt is lower than the school-wide median of $17,000, consistent with Wesleyan's aid generosity. The $71,932 four-year figure suggests graduates entering financial services, consulting, and other professional sectors. Liberal arts graduates here benefit from alumni networks in media, finance, and the arts.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 90.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 92.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 92.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Wesleyan 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 | 16.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 710-780 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 705-760 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 33-35 |
| Enrollment | 3,067 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 14.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $14,100 |
At 16.5% admission rate, Wesleyan is highly selective. The ACT range is 33-35 and the SAT range is 705-780. Test-optional policies have affected submitted-score averages, so these ranges reflect only those who chose to submit scores.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The school's three-year repayment rate is 90.6%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wesleyan University (this school) | 85 | $30,177 | $73,897 |
| Middlebury College | 86 | $31,483 | $76,310 |
| College of the Holy Cross | 85 | $38,782 | $90,543 |
| University of Richmond | 81 | $31,309 | $76,178 |
| Albertus Magnus College | 39 | $34,028 | $60,144 |
| University of Bridgeport | 27 | $27,807 | $50,323 |
Who Thrives Here
Wesleyan admitted students cluster in the ACT 33-35 and SAT 705-760 reading, 710-780 math range. The 92.6% completion rate reflects both highly motivated students and strong institutional support. Wesleyan fits students who value interdisciplinary study, small seminar classes, and an academically intensive culture without the strictest distribution requirements.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Wesleyan University pays off. You'd pay about $30,177 a year after aid ($120,708 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $73,897 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.7 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: its 92.6% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $17,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $46,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37, 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.
Wesleyan University: Common Questions
Is Wesleyan University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Wesleyan University pays off. It scores 85/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $30,177 a year after aid ($120,708 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $73,897 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.7 years to earn back.
How much does Wesleyan 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 $30,177 a year, or roughly $120,708 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 Wesleyan University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $73,897 ten years after enrolling, roughly $32,097 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 Wesleyan 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 6.7 years for Wesleyan University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Wesleyan University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,000, against average earnings of $46,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. 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 Wesleyan University?
The six-year graduation rate is 92.6%, 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.