“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” —Mahatma Gandhi
In the Philadelphia area, people of all ages who have a thirst for knowledge are taking Gandhi’s sage advice to heart. From recent high school graduates, to veterans of the working world eager to enhance their skills, to seniors who simply want to learn something new, students are flocking to local colleges and universities in order to formulate a game plan for not only contributing to a better world but also improving their position within it. In the following pages, discover why natives of the Philadelphia area, as well as those from other parts of the world, are choosing to prepare themselves for the next phases of their lives at institutions of higher learning right in our backyard.
Following pages are profiles of the top colleges and universities based in the Philadelphia area—from Center City, to its surrounding suburbs, to schools across the river in New Jersey. The schools are listed alphabetically, complete with the most recent school-year data to help bring to life its on-campus “personality.”
Arcadia University
450 S. Easton Road, Glenside
215-572-2900 | arcadia.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 3,892
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,468 (Men - 34 % | Women - 66 %)
Total Full-time Faculty: 141
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 439 | Master’s - 498 | Doctorates - 141
Tuition and fees: $36,810
Books and supplies: $1,500
On-campus room and board: $12,560
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
801 Tomlinson Road, Bryn Athyn
267-502-6000 | brynathyn.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 256
Undergraduate enrollment: 243 (Men - 55% | Women - 45%)
Total full-time faculty: 23
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 29 | Bachelor’s - 29 | Master’s - 3 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $17,724
Books and supplies: $750
On-campus room and board: $10,260
Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr
610-526-5000 | brynmawr.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,765
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,313 (Men - 0% | Women - 100%)
Total full-time faculty: 179
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 327 | Master’s - 116 | Doctorates - 10
Tuition and fees: $43,900
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $13,860
Bucks County Community College
275 Swamp Road, Newtown
215-968-8000 | bucks.edu
Type: Public, 2 year
Total enrollment: 10,252
Undergraduate enrollment: 10,252 (Men - 44% | Women - 56 %)
Total full-time faculty: 167
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 803 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $3,866 (in district); $7,058 (in state); $10,250 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,700
On-campus room and board: N/A
Cabrini College
610 King of Prussia Road, Radnor
610-902-8100 | cabrini.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,828
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,300 (Men - 30% | Women - 70%)
Total full-time faculty: 75
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 304 | Master’s - 717 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $29,842
Books and supplies: $1,100
On-campus room and board: $12,026
Cairn University
200 Manor Ave., Langhorne
215-752-5800 | cairn.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,216
Undergraduate enrollment: 854 (Men - 47% | Women - 53%)
Total full-time faculty: 46
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 298 | Master’s - 75 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $22,455
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $8,800
Chestnut Hill College
9601 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia
215-248-7000 | chc.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,301
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,581 (Men - 70% | Women - 30%)
Total full-time faculty: 70
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 432 | Master’s - 231 | Doctorates - 19
Tuition and fees: $31,170
Books and supplies: $1,100
On-campus room and board: $9,008
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
1837 University Circle, Cheyney
610-399-2275 | cheyney.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,284
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,224 (Men - 49% | Women - 51%)
Total full-time faculty: 63
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 157| Master’s - 21 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $8,806 (in state); $13,302 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,500
On-campus room and board: $11,420
Community College of Philadelphia
1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia
215-751-8000 | ccp.edu
Type: Public, 2 year
Total enrollment: 18,920
Undergraduate enrollment: 18,920 (Men - 37% | Women - 63%)
Total full-time faculty: 412
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 1,764 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $4,920 (in district); $9,360 (in state); $13,800 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,250
On-campus room and board: N/A
Curtis Institute of Music
1726 Locust Street, Philadelphia
215-893-5252 | curtis.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 166
Undergraduate enrollment: 125 (Men - 46% | Women - 54%)
Total faculty: 116, including 114 part time
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 30 | Master’s - 4 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $2,425
Books and supplies: $1,615
On-campus room and board: $14,072
Delaware County Community College
901 S. Media Line Road, Media
610-359-5000 | dccc.edu
Type: Public, 2 year
Total enrollment: 13,051
Undergraduate enrollment: 13,051 (Men - 56% | Women - 44%)
Total full-time faculty: 141
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 1,281 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $4,660 (in district); $7,870 (in state); $11,080 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,700
On-campus room and board: N/A
Delaware State University
1200 N. Dupont Highway, Dover, Del.
302-857-6060 | desu.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 4,178
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,877 (Men - 63% | Women - 37%)
Total full-time faculty: 233
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 535 | Master’s - 120 | Doctorates - 19
Tuition and fees: $7,336 (in state); $15,692 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,500
On-campus room and board: $ 10,607
Delaware Valley College
700 E. Butler Ave., Doylestown
215-345-1500 | delval.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,205
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,945 (Men - 40% | Women - 60%)
Total full-time faculty: 86
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 7 | Bachelor’s - 396 | Master’s - 72 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $32,890
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $11,977
Drexel University
3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
215-895-2000 | drexel.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 26,132
Undergraduate enrollment: 16,616 (Men - 54% | Women - 46%)
Total full-time faculty: 1, 426
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 29 | Bachelor’s - 2,986 | Master’s - 2,446 | Doctorates - 682
Tuition and fees: $44,646
Books and supplies: $1,870
On-campus room and board: $14,367
Eastern University
1300 Eagle Road, Saint Davids
610-341-5800 | eastern.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 4,263
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,701 (Men - 31% | Women - 69%)
Total full-time faculty: 165
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 105 | Bachelor’s - 614 | Master’s - 442 | Doctorates - 19
Tuition and fees: $28,090
Books and supplies: $1,224
On-campus room and board: $9,614
Gratz College
7605 Old York Road, Melrose Park
215-635-7300 | gratz.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 695
Undergraduate enrollment: 73 (Men - 23% | Women - 77%)
Total full-time faculty: 6
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 1 | Master’s - 208 | Doctorates - 1
Tuition and fees: $17,660
Books and supplies: N/A
On-campus room and board: N/A
Gwynedd-Mercy College
1325 Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd Valley
215-646-7300 | gmc.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,572
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,223 (Men - 26% | Women - 74%)
Total full-time faculty: 79
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 261 | Bachelor’s - 437 | Master’s - 116 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $29,860
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $10,150
Harcum College
750 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr
610-525-4100 | harcum.edu
Type: Private, 2 year
Total enrollment: 1,562
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,562 (Men - 18% | Women - 82%)
Total full-time faculty: 48
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 360 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $21,000
Books and supplies: $1,500
On-campus room and board: $8,900
Haverford College
370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford
610-896-1000 | haverford.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,205
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,205 (Men - 46% | Women - 54%)
Total full-time faculty: 121
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 299 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $46,790
Books and supplies: $1,194
On-campus room and board: $14,350
Holy Family University
9801 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia
215-637-7700 | my.holyfamily.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,956
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,182 (Men - 25% | Women - 75%)
Total full-time faculty: 95
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 14 | Bachelor’s - 470 | Master’s - 358 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $28,456
Books and supplies: $1,050
On-campus room and board: $12,946
Hussian School of Art
The Bourse, Philadelphia
215-574-9600 | hussianart.edu
Type: Private, 2 year
Total enrollment: 98
Undergraduate enrollment: 98 (Men - 49% | Women - 51%)
Faculty: 23 (part time)
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 23 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $14,600
Books and supplies: $450
On-campus room and board: N/A
Immaculata University
1145 King Road, Immaculata
610-647-4400 | immaculata.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 4,117
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,883 (Men - 21% | Women - 79%)
Total full-time faculty: 88
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 15 | Bachelor’s - 666 | Master’s - 171 | Doctorates - 74
Tuition and fees: $32,000
Books and supplies: $1,800
On-campus room and board: $12,800
La Salle University
1900 West Olney Ave., Philadelphia
215-951-1000 | lasalle.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 6,203
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,185 (Men - 40% | Women - 60%)
Total full-time faculty: 243
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 47 | Bachelor’s - 956 | Master’s - 553 | Doctorates - 14
Tuition and fees: $39,200
Books and supplies: $500
On-campus room and board: $12,500
Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
1570 Baltimore Pike, Lincoln University
484-365-8000 | lincoln.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,101
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,680 (Men - 40%| Women - 60%)
Total full-time faculty: 95
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 297 | Master’s - 155 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $10,204 (in state); $15,998 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $2,000
On-campus room and board: $9,020
Manor College
700 Fox Chase Road, Jenkintown
215-885-2360 | manor.edu
Type: Private, 2 year
Total enrollment: 1,000
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,000 (Men - 14% | Women - 86%)
Total full-time faculty: 25
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 155 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $15,470
Books and supplies: $1,223
On-campus room and board: $7,254
Montgomery County Community College - Central Campus
340 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell
215-641-6300 | mc3.edu
Type: Public, 2 year
Total enrollment: 13,645
Undergraduate enrollment: 13,645 (Men - 44% | Women - 56%)
Total full-time faculty: 191
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 1,301 | Bachelor’s - 0| Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $4,590 (in district); $8,640 (in state); $12,690 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,300
On-campus room and board: N/A
Moore College of Art and Design
20th and the Parkway, Philadelphia
215-568-4515 | moore.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 529
Undergraduate enrollment: 482 (Men - 0% | Women - 100%)
Total full-time faculty: 22
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 113 | Master’s - 16 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $36,833
Books and supplies: $2,000
On-campus room and board: $13,302
Neumann University
One Neumann Drive, Aston
610-459-0905 | neumann.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,956
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,080 (Men - 36% | Women - 64%)
Total full-time faculty: 105
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 11 | Bachelor’s - 506 | Master’s - 146 | Doctorates - 39
Tuition and fees: $25,690
Books and supplies: $1,515
On-campus room and board: $11,462
Peirce College
1420 Pine Street, Philadelphia
888-467-3472 | peirce.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,261
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,261 (Men - 27% | Women - 73%)
Total full-time faculty: 37
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 154 | Bachelor’s - 258 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $17,700
Books and supplies: $2,000
On-campus room and board: $6,109
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia
215-972-7600 | pafa.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 294
Undergraduate enrollment: 182 (Men - 48% | Women - 52%)
Total full-time faculty: 21
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 31 | Master’s - 54 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $32,695
Books and supplies: $1,511
On-campus room and board: $14,368
Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington
1600 Woodland Rd, Abington
215-881-7300 | psu.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 3,516
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,506 (Men - 49% | Women - 51%)
Total full-time faculty: 112
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 34 | Bachelor’s - 502 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $13,608 (in state); $20,284 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,696
On-campus room and board: N/A
Pennsylvania State University - Brandywine
25 Yearsley Mill Road, Media
610-892-1200 | psu.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,581
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,581 (Men - 56% | Women - 44%)
Total full-time faculty: 65
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 7 | Bachelor’s - 177 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $13,608 (in state); $20,284 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,696
On-campus room and board: N/A
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus
201 Old Main, University Park
814-865-4700 | psu.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 45,783
Undergraduate enrollment: 39,192 (Men - 54% | Women - 46%)
Total full-time faculty: 3,207
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 26 | Bachelor’s - 10,573 | Master’s - 1,291| Doctorates - 800
Tuition and fees: $16,992 (in state); $29,566 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,696
On-campus room and board: $10,116
Philadelphia University
4201 Henry Ave., Philadelphia
215-951-2700 | philau.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 3,540
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,888 (Men - 35% | Women - 65%)
Total full-time faculty: 110
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 39 | Bachelor’s - 631 | Master’s - 262 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $34,280
Books and supplies: $1,600
On-campus room and board: $11,610
Princeton University
1 Nassau Hall, Princeton, N.J.
609-258-3000 | princeton.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 8,014
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,323 (Men - 51% | Women - 49%)
Total full-time faculty: 871
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 1,271| Master’s - 573 | Doctorates - 319
Tuition and fees: $41,820
Books and supplies: $1,200
On-campus room and board: $13,620
Rosemont College
1400 Montgomery Ave., Rosemont
610-527-0200 | rosemont.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,119
Undergraduate enrollment: 526 (Men - 32% | Women - 68%)
Total full-time faculty: 26
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 119 | Master’s - 115 | Doctorates – 0 Tuition and fees: $30,950
Books and supplies: $1,500
On-campus room and board: $12,380
St. Joseph’s University
5600 City Ave., Philadelphia
610-660-1000 | sju.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 8,860
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,670 (Men - 48% | Women - 52%)
Total full-time faculty: 319
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 3 | Bachelor’s - 1,176 | Master’s - 1,253 | Doctorates - 9
Tuition and fees: $39,040
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $13,232
Swarthmore College
500 College Ave., Swarthmore
610-328-8000 | swarthmore.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,534
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,534 (Men - 49% | Women - 51%)
Total full-time faculty: 178
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 381 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $46,060
Books and supplies: $1,230
On-campus room and board: $13,550
Temple University
1801 North Broad Street, Philadelphia
215-204-7000 | temple.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 36,619
Undergraduate enrollment: 28,242 (Men - 48% | Women - 52%)
Total full-time faculty: 1,998
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 2 | Bachelor’s - 5,914 | Master’s - 1,433 | Doctorates - 1,191
Tuition and fees: $14,096 (in state); $24,122 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $10,296
Thomas Jefferson University
1020 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
215-955-6000 | jefferson.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 3,651
Undergraduate enrollment: 902 (Men - 19% | Women - 81%)
Total full-time faculty: 310
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 27 | Bachelor’s - 457 | Master’s - 297 | Doctorates - 403
Tuition and fees: $34,610
Books and supplies: N/A
On-campus room and board: N/A
University of Pennsylvania
34th and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia
215-898-5000 | upenn.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 21,344
Undergraduate enrollment: 10,319 (Men - 47% | Women - 53%)
Total full-time faculty: 2,575
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 1 | Bachelor’s - 2,848 | Master’s - 3,767 | Doctorates - 1,207
Tuition and fees: $47,668
Books and supplies: $1,190
On-campus room and board: $16,532
University of the Arts
320 South Broad Street, Philadelphia
215-717-6000 | uarts.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 2,063
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,890 (Men - 41% | Women - 59%)
Total full-time faculty: 113
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 435 | Master’s - 117 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $38,410
Books and supplies: $2,944
On-campus room and board: $14,002
Ursinus College
601 E. Main Street, Collegeville
610-409-3000 | ursinus.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,650
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,650 (Men - 49% | Women - 51%)
Total full-time faculty: 129
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 415 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $46,080
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $11,500
Valley Forge Christian College
1401 Charlestown Road, Phoenixville
610-935-0450 | vfcc.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 1,040
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,001 (Men - 48% | Women - 52%)
Total full-time faculty: 33
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 7 | Bachelor’s - 139 | Master’s - 4 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $20,394
Books and supplies: $700
On-campus room and board: $8,116
Valley Forge Military Academy & College
1001 Eagle Road, Wayne
610-989-1450 | vfmac.edu
Type: Private, 2 year
Total enrollment: 247
Undergraduate enrollment: 247 (Men - 90% | Women - 10%)
Total full-time faculty: 18
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 43 | Bachelor’s - 0 | Master’s - 0 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $25,455
Books and supplies: $1,000
On-campus room and board: $11,145
Villanova University
800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova
610-519-4500 | villanova.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 10,697
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,547 (Men - 50% | Women - 50%)
Total full-time faculty: 648
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 3 | Bachelor’s - 1,787 | Master’s - 1,070 | Doctorates - 257
Tuition and fees: $45,966
Books and supplies: $950
On-campus room and board: $12,278
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
University Avenue and High Street, West Chester
610-436-1000 | wcupa.edu
Type: Public, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 15,845
Undergraduate enrollment: 13,711 (Men - 40% | Women - 60%)
Total full-time faculty: 594
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 0 | Bachelor’s - 2,760 | Master’s - 713 | Doctorates - 0
Tuition and fees: $3,410 (in state); $8,525 (out of state)
Books and supplies: $1,200
On-campus room and board: $12,140
Widener University
One University Place, Chester
610-499-4000 | widener.edu
Type: Private, 4 year or above
Total enrollment: 4,716
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,153 (Men - 44% | Women - 56%)
Total full-time faculty: 237
Degrees conferred per year: Associate’s - 24 | Bachelor’s - 646 | Master’s - 386 | Doctorates - 125
Tuition and fees: $39,830
Books and supplies: $1,200
On-campus room and board: $12,460
Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, Pennsylvania Department of Education and college/university websites; listings above are based on the most recent school-year data available.
Work Ready
How local institutions are evolving to provide students with the experiences needed to thrive in today’s workplace
As competition for jobs becomes increasingly tough, many universities are looking to prepare their students for the working world through programs and partnerships with local businesses—through internships, externships and co-ops. Local universities, seeing the advantages for both students’ growth and businesses’ development, are encouraging students to take on these practical experiences to complement a program’s coursework.
The idea is this: A student works for a company while still taking classes (earning either credit hours, a wage or a stipend, or simply earning real-world experience) to gain practical knowledge in the workplace, build up their résumé and maybe even land a job after graduation.
“It is imperative that students engage in different forms of experiential education whether that is through an internship, co-op, work-study job, study abroad or community service,” says Mark Gress, director of career education at Arcadia University in Glenside. “The days of relying solely on a solid GPA are long gone. While employers still value good grades, the competition is too fierce to not consider other factors.”
Arcadia, with its nationally recognized study-abroad programs, organizes company tours and internship and career fairs, as well as internship programs both abroad and locally. The university has found that nearly 48 percent of students who interned nabbed full-time jobs right after their 2014 graduation.
Conversely, employers are making full-time offers to 64.8 percent of students who interned with them, according to the 2014 Internship & Co-op Survey Report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. In these cases, students attain practical experience, while employers can cultivate a crop of potential new employees.
Newtown-based Bucks County Community College has seen this in action, with many of its students hired by the interning company or using their new network to find jobs for the future. The college has internships for credit built into some of its majors, including but not limited to its accounting, paralegal, event planning and management/marketing programs, with students required to meet a number of prerequisites before taking on these interning opportunities. Not all internships are perfect, but even this lends itself to a learning opportunity.
“Sometimes you can learn a lot from a bad experience, too, where [students] can realize what they didn’t know or what they struggled with, so we can help them with that before they graduate,” says Tracy Timby, assistant academic dean of business at Bucks County Community College.
“There has to be some real-life experience, because you can’t get the skills that you need, even socially, in an office environment if you aren’t in an office,” she continues. “In the classroom, we can simulate things all day long, but there’s always control in that environment. You have to let those students encounter these variables that they will encounter every day, or you’re really doing them a disservice.” —Carson Rolleri
Meaningful vs. Lucrative
Some recent college grads have found ways to attain the best of both worlds
The great philosopher Confucius has a number of profound quotes to his credit, though perhaps none more germane to students in pursuit of higher education than the following: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Indeed, college graduates who obtain jobs they describe as “meaningful” tend to be happy and content, according to a recent PayScale Inc. College Salary Report. The report suggests that 10 of the most meaningful majors, in order, are nursing, special education, medical technology, biomedical engineering, athletic training, social work, child and family studies, dietetics, biblical studies and public health. Some college majors, on the other hand, provide the best of both worlds. Students who graduated with degrees in the 25 majors listed in the following chart garnered jobs that yield not only significant job satisfaction but also lucrative salaries, often right out of school.
Major/Starting Salary/Mid-career Salary
Petroleum Engineering/$103,000/$160,000
Actuarial Mathematics/$58,700/$120,000
Nuclear Engineering/$67,600/$117,000
Chemical Engineering/$68,200/$115,000
Aerospace Engineering/$62,800/$115,000
Electrical Engineering/$64,300/$106,000
Computer Engineering/$65,300/$106,000
Computer Science/$59,800/$102,000
Physics/$53,100/$101,000
Mechanical Engineering/$60,900/$99,700
Materials Science & Engineering/$62,700/$95,700
Software Engineering/$60,500/$99,300
Statistics/$52,500/$98,900
Government/$43,200/$97,100
Economics/$50,100/$96,700
Applied Mathematics/$52,800/$96,200
Industrial Engineering/$61,100/$94,400
Management Information Systems/$53,800/$92,200
Biomedical Engineering/$59,000/$91,700
Civil Engineering/$49,400/$89,800
Environmental Engineering/$49,400/$89,800
Construction Management/$51,500/$88,800
Mathematics/$49,400/$88,800
Electrical Engineering Technology/$57,900/$87,600
Computer Information Systems/$50,800/$87,400
Source: PayScale Inc.’s 2013-2014 College Salary Report
