Western New England University
Springfield, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 83.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 75/100 · Strong Value
Western New England University scores 75 and lands in the Strong Value tier - a genuinely good outcome for a small Massachusetts private. Sticker tuition is $47,820 (high), but net price drops to $27,290 thanks to substantial institutional aid, putting four-year cost at $109,160. The school's value case is built on a 64.0% completion rate (sub-score 67), strong engineering and pharmacy programs, and one of the best repayment rates in the dataset at 82.9% three-year repayment (sub-score 79). Median earnings six years after entry are $46,800, climbing to $73,157 by year ten - a 35% earnings premium (sub-score 76) and a 6.5-year payback period (sub-score 86). Median debt is $25,500 with a 0.545 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 64). WNE's pharmacy, engineering (mechanical, civil, electrical, biomedical), computer science, and accounting programs all produce A or B+ grade outcomes. The drag comes from a long tail of weaker outcomes in psychology, kinesiology, and criminal justice. For students entering its STEM and pre-pharmacy pipelines, this is a defensible private-school choice.
Western New England University scores in the top 25% of all schools we track, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Western New England University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $47,820/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $47,820/yr |
| Average net price | $27,290/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $109,160 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $73,157 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $46,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $270 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,603 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Western New England University is $47,820/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $27,290/year, or roughly $109,160 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $20,726/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,794/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $270 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $73,157 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.55 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $20,726 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,471 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,205 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $28,660 |
| $110,001+ | $29,794 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $20,726 net per year (about $82,904 over four years). That is a meaningful discount from $47,820 sticker and is achievable with Pell plus institutional aid. The aid curve scales appropriately and smoothly.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-110,000) pay $25,205-$28,660 net per year (about $101,000-$115,000 over four years). The aid scaling is smooth and monotonic, which is unusual and a credit to the school's pricing transparency. Against $46,800 six-year earnings, the math works within the 6.5-year payback period.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $29,794 per year ($119,176 over four years). The aid gradient between top and bottom brackets is about $9,000/year, which is real and meaningful. At full freight, WNE compares favorably to other Northeast privates because of its strong STEM placement and 64% completion rate.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Western New England University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $57,681 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | $89,642 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $55,629 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,486 | C |
| Pharmacy | $129,138 | A |
| Finance and Financial Management | $54,474 | B |
| Computer Science | $100,055 | B+ |
| Biomedical Engineering | $87,838 | C+ |
| Accounting | $75,649 | B+ |
| Civil Engineering | $86,375 | 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.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 54 students with $33,825 first-year and $57,681 four-year earnings. Debt is $26,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.769 for a D grade. This is the modal undergraduate humanities outcome and the typical psychology problem - without graduate school continuation, the financial outcome is structurally weak.
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
Mechanical Engineering Tech graduates 53 students with $69,326 first-year and $89,642 four-year earnings. Debt is $27,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.389 for a B grade. Strong placement into Connecticut River Valley manufacturing and defense contractors (Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon) anchors this program.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 45 students with $26,544 first-year and $55,629 four-year earnings. Debt of $27,000 and debt-to-earnings of 1.017 yield an F grade. The classic kinesiology problem at a high-cost private: without continuation to PT/OT graduate school, the bachelor's pays back poorly.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 39 students with $41,564 first-year and $60,486 four-year earnings. Debt is $26,399 and debt-to-earnings is 0.635 for a C grade. Solid Massachusetts state and federal law enforcement placement; not a top-tier ROI program but defensible.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates 32 students with $54,474 first-year earnings; four-year not reported. Debt of $21,375 and debt-to-earnings of 0.392 yield a B grade. The relatively low debt combined with strong first-year earnings produces a clean ROI case, with placement likely into Hartford insurance and Boston corporate finance roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 77.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 84.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 83.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 550-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-650 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-28 |
| Enrollment | 2,603 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,676 |
WNE admits 83.5% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 550-650 (math) and 540-650 (reading) and ACT composite mid-range of 21-28. These are above-average preparation numbers and indicate genuine academic readiness despite the high admit rate. The combination of an 83% admit rate with a 64% completion rate is favorable - the school admits broadly but retains and graduates students at meaningfully higher rates than its peers.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
WNE's peer set (American International College, Amherst College, Catholic University, Le Moyne College, Saint Xavier University) is mixed. Amherst is an elite liberal arts school and not a meaningful comp. American International is a nearby Springfield comp with weaker outcomes at similar cost. Catholic University, Le Moyne, and Saint Xavier are similar mid-size privates with comparable engineering and business programs. Across the relevant peer subset, WNE's 75 score is among the stronger outcomes and is driven primarily by its STEM pipelines.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western New England University (this school) | 75 | $27,290 | $73,157 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| The Catholic University of America | 77 | $29,561 | $73,250 |
| Saint Xavier University | 72 | $10,970 | $58,656 |
| Le Moyne College | 70 | $22,277 | $62,731 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 2,603 with a 24.5% Pell rate - a relatively middle-class student body for a Massachusetts private. WNE works strongly for students entering its pharmacy, engineering, computer science, accounting, and finance programs, where outcomes reach A and B+ grades. It works less well for students drawn to its psychology, kinesiology, or liberal arts tracks, where the debt-to-earnings math is structurally weak. The decision for a prospective student is largely program-specific rather than school-wide.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
Western New England University delivers above-average financial returns for its graduates. At a net cost of $27,290 per year ($109,160 over four years), graduates earn a median of $73,157 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback period at roughly 6.5 years - a solid return on the investment.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $25,500 against $73,157 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.