April 08, 2025

Susquehanna University ranks among the top universities in the U.S. for career-long earnings, according to a new report from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Susquehanna ranks No. 575 among 4,600 colleges and universities nationwide for salary earned over the 40-year length of a career, placing it among the top 12%. The university ranks No. 34 among private, liberal arts universities in Pennsylvania on the same metric, which includes the University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr, Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne universities.

“This is all the more remarkable given that The New York Times recently identified Susquehanna as having the 71st most economically diverse student body in the country. Our students come from a true cross section of the nation and collectively move into the top octile,” said University President Jonathan Green. “Despite growing skepticism about its value, the earnings gap between college graduates and those without degrees is wider than ever. Beyond higher lifetime earnings, a Susquehanna education equips students to lead meaningful lives of achievement, leadership and service in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.”

Using 2021–22 data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, the study assessed ROI for graduates of 4,600 colleges and universities nationwide. It considered median earnings six, eight and 10 years after enrollment, the average net price, and the predominant credential awarded. ROI figures represent cumulative earnings minus total out-of-pocket costs, based on the institution’s average net price per student.

To measure ROI, the study uses net present value, which estimates how future earnings are valued in the present. The measure, calculated using data from the College Scorecard, a website run by the federal government, essentially weighs the cost of paying for college against what students could potentially earn later.