Public · Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University

Worcester State University is a public institution in Worcester, Massachusetts. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$13,381
Avg net price / yr
$60,624
10-yr median earnings
58.5%
150%-time completion
88.0%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

Worcester State University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 15%
former-student earnings, US
88.0%
acceptance rate
58.5%
150%-time completion
+21%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Midsize Carnegie: Master's (L)
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Worcester State University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C+
College Value Score
63/100
Worcester State University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings A-
$60,624
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C+
$13,381
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate C-
58.5%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$19,500
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A-
77.4%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention C
78.1%
First-year students returning for year two
Worcester State University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$60,624

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$13,381

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

58.5%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 58.5%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Worcester State University vs peers

Worcester State University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Worcester State University positioned by ear… Carnegie Classification: Master's (L) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $32K $66K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $5K $30K Avg Net Price ($) Worcester State University (you are here): $61K earn · $13K net · 58% grad You are here - Worcester State Un… Massachusetts Bay Community College: $53K earn · $7K net · 16% grad Massachusetts Bay … Northern Essex Community College: $43K earn · $6K net · 20% grad Northern Essex Com… Massasoit Community College: $46K earn · $8K net · 21% grad Massasoit Communit… Westfield State University: $57K earn · $17K net · 55% grad Westfield State Un… Holyoke Community College: $37K earn · $8K net · 31% grad Holyoke Community … Salem State University: $57K earn · $16K net · 52% grad Clark University: $62K earn · $29K net · 77% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Worcester State University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Worcester State University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$60,624 Top 15% higher than 85% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Worcester State University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $60,624 #764 of 5103 85th
Average net price $13,381 #1781 of 5020 65th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 58.5% #2340 of 4858 52nd
Undergraduate enrollment 3,930 #908 of 5462 83rd

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

3,930
Undergraduate enrollment
88.0%
Acceptance rate
1,150
SAT average
58.5%
150%-time completion
$60,624
10-yr median earnings
78.1%
First-year retention

How Worcester State University ranks in Massachusetts

State rank among 106 reporting Massachusetts colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Worcester State University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $60,624 #40 of 106 62nd
Average net price $13,381 #20 of 117 83rd (lower is better)
150%-time completion 58.5% #70 of 109 36th
Undergraduate enrollment 3,930 #24 of 128 81st

Highest former-student earnings in Massachusetts

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Massachusetts Institute of Technology$143,372$20,111
2Franklin W Olin College of Engineering$129,455$25,171
3Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences$125,557$39,545
4Babson College$123,938$40,514
5Bentley University$120,959$37,930
6Boston College$103,937$41,704
7Worcester Polytechnic Institute$103,470$43,071
8Harvard University$101,817$19,066
9Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing$101,466-
10Northeastern University$92,538$30,915
11Northeastern University Professional Programs$92,538-
12College of the Holy Cross$90,543$38,782
40Worcester State UniversityThis school$60,624$13,381

Admissions

Admission Rate 88.0%
SAT Average 1,150
SAT Math (25th-75th) 493 – 618
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 533 – 665
ACT Average 24
0%100%88%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Worcester State University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Worcester State University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $11,786
Out-of-State Tuition $17,866
Average Net Price $13,381
30.0%
Pell Grant Rate
44.2%
Federal Loan Rate
$19,500
Median Debt
$207/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at Worcester State University swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $13,627 to $19,113 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -10.9%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.

Lowest year
$13,627
Highest year
$19,113
Most recent (2023)
$14,738
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $16,5502014: $16,4292015: $17,4952016: $19,1132017: $18,8362018: $18,5802019: $16,7612020: $16,5552021: $13,6272022: $15,3252023: $14,738
2013 · $16,5502023 · $14,738

Over the same years, enrollment went -21.3% (5,033 → 3,963 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

59.3%
Female
35.6%
First Generation

Outcomes

78.1%
Retention Rate
$50,233
Median Earnings (6yr)
74.9%
Earning Over $25K
77.4%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 58.5%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 78.1%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $50,233
Median earnings 10 years after entry $60,624
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 74.9%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 77.4%
Median federal student debt At completion $19,500
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $207/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 23 1,078 $60,615 $92,133 $21,160
Master's 5 198 $72,402 $81,000 $21,166

Top programs at Worcester State University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 71 $92,133 $19,500
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 42 $92,068 $20,500
Biotechnology Bachelor's 15 $90,565 $17,455
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 28 $81,000 -
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Master's 34 $79,966 -
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Bachelor's 18 $74,386 $25,000
Biology, General Bachelor's 68 $68,459 $21,043
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 172 $66,405 $19,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Master's 70 $66,285 -
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 97 $65,588 $21,050
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Bachelor's 67 $63,505 $21,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Master's 38 $62,355 $21,166
Economics Bachelor's 7 $62,138 -
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Bachelor's 34 $58,126 $20,564
Mathematics Bachelor's 13 $57,434 $23,750

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Worcester State University?
Worcester State University is a public institution in Worcester, Massachusetts. The acceptance rate is 88.0%. The average SAT score is 1,150. Undergraduate enrollment is 3,930 students.
How much do Worcester State University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Worcester State University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $60,624 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $50,233.
How much does Worcester State University cost?
The average net price at Worcester State University is $13,381. In-state tuition is $11,786 and out-of-state tuition is $17,866. Median student debt at graduation is $19,500.
What is the graduation rate at Worcester State University?
Worcester State University has a 58.5% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 78.1%.
Is Worcester State University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Worcester State University is $19,500, while former students earn a median of $60,624 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 32% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 77.4% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $207.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Worcester State University

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.