Who This School Is and Where It Is Located
Elizabethtown College is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution located in the town of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County. It is within the Lancaster metropolitan area, although that does not mean the campus is in the center of that city. Its census code places it in a suburb: within the urbanized area, but outside the principal urban core. How that feels when you walk around is something you can only learn by visiting.
The Carnegie Classification, which is how the country categorizes colleges according to what they do, describes it as a master's college with small programs: four-year, small, and highly residential. “Highly residential” has a precise meaning: according to the most recent available data, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in housing owned by or affiliated with the institution, and at least eight out of ten studied full time. In its undergraduate admissions profile, Carnegie places it in its selective admissions category.
If your child is thinking about living at home, this is important: drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time your child’s classes would take place. The time shown on the map is almost never the actual time. And if your child will live on campus, remember something that is easy to forget: housing costs are almost never included with tuition in the brochure. Ask for them separately, including the meal plan, before comparing this school with any other.
IPEDS, the federal system that compiles these data, records it as a degree-granting institution that primarily awards bachelor's degrees or higher and reports a doctoral degree as the highest level it says it offers. That is a general institutional fact: it does not tell you whether your child’s specific major exists there or whether that major has a pathway connecting undergraduate and graduate study. That must be asked program by program.
And one clarification worth making at the outset: Elizabethtown College is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Those are three separate designations with different histories, and of the 3,012 colleges in this national directory, 138 carry at least one of the three. The fact that this school is not on that list says nothing about which students it serves, how many Latino students are on its campus, or how your child will feel there. You find that out by asking which cultural centers and student organizations exist today and by speaking with someone who already studies there.
The Size of the Community and Who Makes It Up
In the most recent official fall count, Elizabethtown had 2,152 enrolled students: 1,857 undergraduates and 295 graduate students. It is primarily an undergraduate college. In size, it is medium-sized—within the range of 1,000 to 4,999 students—and compared with the 941 selective private schools included in this census, its size is right in the middle: neither among the largest nor among the smallest.
Here I want to pause on something many families assume without checking: being large does not mean more options, and being small does not mean more attention for your child. That assessment must be made program by program, not for the school as a whole.
As for who makes up that community: out of every 100 undergraduate students, 59 are women. Students ages 25 to 64 are a minority—6 out of every 100—so this is mostly a campus of young students arriving directly from high school. And among the undergraduate students reported in fall 2023, 6 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino: a small minority whose share falls below the midpoint of the comparison group—941 selective private schools—without falling into the bottom quartile.
I want to be direct here, because this is one of those numbers that should be neither softened nor dramatized: if your child will be part of that small group, it is worth finding out before deciding what exists for Latino students on that campus—a student group, a cultural center, someone in the office who speaks Spanish. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, and having many would not make it good. This number tells you who is enrolled, and nothing more. Your child’s experience in a specific major may look very different from the institution-wide average.
As for where first-time students came from—their home states—IPEDS simply does not provide that information for this school in the reported cycle. It is not there, and it should not be invented.
How the Academic Year Is Structured and What Is Offered
Elizabethtown operates on a semester calendar: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. That means consistent dates for everyone, without the surprises of a quarter system.
The school reported that it accepts prior credit through two avenues: AP exams and what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”—learning from independent study, adult courses, work experience, a portfolio, prior licenses or certifications, or military, government, or professional opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the hard truth you should not skip: the fact that the school says it accepts AP does not mean it awards credit for every exam at every score. The report does not say how many points are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits apply to your child’s specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrollment. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for the academic offerings: in the most recently reported year, Elizabethtown awarded 386 bachelor's degrees across 22 program families, which the government calls CIP families. The family awarding the most degrees was business and management, with 22 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year—the largest, but without accounting for the entire total. Compared with 942 similar schools, it falls within the quartile with the most program families represented in its bachelor's-degree detail. Its offerings are broad and distributed, not concentrated in a handful of majors. But keep this in mind: 22 families with at least one row in the report do not mean 22 complete majors or guarantee that each has active degree programs; one family groups several programs and may report zero degrees in a given year. Verify the exact program that interests your child.
For the relative size of classes, the closest available measure is the ratio of students to instructional staff, with both measured as full-time equivalents: 12 to 1. On the general scale, this is considered a low ratio. But when compared specifically with the 941 schools similar to it, it falls above the group median—in other words, among schools of its own type, it is not one of the lowest. Both interpretations are true at the same time, which is why I am giving them to you separately. What this number does not tell you is the actual size of a classroom or what a first-year course feels like: that is a different question for a different source.
Structured Academic Opportunities
The institution reports offering study abroad, a complete program that can be taken exclusively during evenings or weekends, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, the ability to complete preparation there in certain areas of teacher specialization, and state approval of its initial teacher-certification program. These pathways are reported as existing; how they work in practice for your child’s major is something to ask the school directly.
How Admission Works: Requirements, Figures, and What Really Matters
Elizabethtown does not have open admission. It reviews several elements before saying yes. Of the nine considerations covered by this report, four are required: the high school transcript, high school GPA, letters of recommendation, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom that requirement applies. Other elements are not required but are considered if submitted: your child’s class rank, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum requested by the institution, the personal essay, and work experience. The report does not show how much weight each element carries in the final decision.
One practical fact worth its weight in gold: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.
And something straightforward: letters of recommendation are required. Request them a month in advance, and give the teacher a sheet listing what your child has done over the years. No one remembers everything without help.
Now for the figures showing how accessible admission is. Of the 3,551 first-time applicants in the reported cycle, 2,726 were offered a place. That is 77 out of every 100—seven or eight out of ten. Compared with the 942 selective private schools in this census, that share falls around the middle, slightly above the midpoint. This is not a school that rejects most applicants, but neither is it a school that admits everyone. And this number comes from a single cycle: if there are more applicants when it is your child’s turn and the number of available places does not grow, the figure will fall on its own. Check it again when the time comes.
Here is a number that confuses many families if it is not explained clearly: out of every 100 admitted students, only 19 ultimately enrolled that fall. The remaining 81 had a place and did not take it. That share is among the most common for similar schools—neither high nor low. Do not read it as a mark against the school: the fact that most admitted students choose another institution does not mean this one is bad; the federal record simply does not say why each person made that decision. What matters for you is this: what others chose does not tell you what the school will offer you. Wait for your own letter showing the net price—what the year would actually cost—before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid. Of the students who enrolled, 31 out of every 100 submitted SAT results—a high share compared with similar schools. Among those who did submit them, the middle half scored between 560 and 650 in reading and writing and between 530 and 630 in mathematics. But these ranges describe students who enrolled and chose to submit their scores, not all applicants, and they do not prove that a score determined anyone’s admission. That 560 is not a minimum, and that 650 is not a guarantee.
As for transfers, in the most recent fall term, 48 undergraduate students entered Elizabethtown for the first time after studying at another institution. This is a count of people, not a proportion, and it falls in the lower half compared with similar schools. How many credits were accepted for those 48 students is a separate question to ask the school directly; the federal file does not contain that answer, and its absence does not prove that no one transfers.
The Sticker Price and What It Actually Costs
At Elizabethtown College, among 27 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $17,946. Among 35 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $21,711; among 189 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $29,855. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (27 students) and the average for the highest-income band (189 students) is $11,909. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $27,019.
$17,946 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands on this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The figure that matters is the financial aid letter sent to you. In the meantime, use the net price calculator on the school’s website.
Available Aid and the Debt You Sign For
At Elizabethtown, 97 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is common here, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $21,038 per year—a figure that does not mean your child will receive exactly that amount; it includes people who received much more and people who received much less.
The Pell Grant, federal aid for low-income families, reached 20 out of every 100 degree-seeking students.
As for loans, here is a truth worth stating plainly: out of every 100 undergraduate students, 67 received a federal student loan in the reported year. That is a majority, and compared with similar schools, this share falls on the high side—seven out of ten similar schools or more had an equal or lower share. Borrowers took out an average of $6,613 that year. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would be around $26,452, not including interest. That calculation should be made before the first signature, not at the end.
That average covers only federal loans taken out in the student’s name during one year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from private banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt someone carries upon graduation; determining that would require adding all four years, and that figure does not exist in this report.
The fact that borrowing is common here does not determine whether your child will need it. That depends on the financial aid letter and the difference between the net price and what your family can afford. If debt appears in the letter, ask for the estimated monthly payment before accepting it.
As for payment options, the institution reports that an installment tuition payment plan is available.
Campus Life, Athletics, and Support
Elizabethtown does have institution-controlled housing, with a reported capacity of 1,501 students on or off campus. Not all full-time, first-time students are required to live there—the institution provides that answer—but that response rules out only a universal requirement; it does not mean that no program has a requirement. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies according to the selected plan. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed is available; ask in writing for this year’s rate, the housing application deadline, and whether housing is guaranteed or there is a waiting list.
As for ROTC, in its most recent report, Elizabethtown did not mark any ROTC opportunity, either in the general field or for any specific branch. Of the four-year institutions in this guide, 926 out of 1,786 did mark one; this school was not among them. If your child’s plan depends on it, do not cross the school off yet: ask admissions directly, because this field shows what was reported, not necessarily everything that exists.
In athletics, the institution does compete at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA—not with the other associations named in the report. It reports membership for basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This does not identify the division, the current season, or whether a scholarship is available; ask the coach for the sport that interests your child directly and in writing.
As for distance education, the institution offers it at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. But only 5 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance; the other 95 took at least one course in person. The institution also reported offering at least one complete program that can be finished at a distance, although the report does not specify whether that program is undergraduate or graduate. Confirm the specific level and program if this matters to your family.
The library operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeded the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government. It has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that it has databases specific to your child’s major; ask using the name of the major.
Finally, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling services, employment services for current students, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and their families, and a published web address for disability services.
Who Stays and Who Graduates
Here we come to one of the numbers that should matter most to you, because it speaks to whether students who enter stay and finish.
Of the cohort that entered in fall 2022—461 first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students—388 met the official retention criterion the following year: they were still enrolled there or had already graduated. That is 84 out of every 100. Compared with 930 similar selective private schools, this figure falls in the upper part of the group. The source does not separate how many of those 84 are still studying from how many have already graduated, nor does it explain what happened to the rest. And something worth clarifying because it can cause confusion: someone who transferred to another college and is still studying there is counted the same way in this metric as someone who left college entirely. Those are not the same thing.
As for graduation, the class that entered in 2017—410 full-time, first-time students—reached 316 graduates six years later. That is 77 out of every 100. At four years, the figure was already 73 out of every 100—only four points lower, a small gap. Compared with 920 similar schools, this share falls in the top quartile: three out of every four similar schools, or more, reported an equal or lower rate.
To be completely clear, because this matters: a high number is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to the class that entered in 2017. What is within your control is making sure your child enters with credits in order and knows from the first semester who the academic advisor is and when registration opens for courses in the major.
There is a third, broader measure that follows students for eight years, including those who entered part time or with previous college experience. From a cohort of 701 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, 72 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Elizabethtown eight years later. Compared with 935 similar schools, this share falls above the group median.
Within that same cohort, students who received a Pell Grant had an eight-year completion rate of 62 out of every 100—14 points below the rate for those who did not receive Pell. A family’s eligibility for Pell today does not determine the outcome for their child. It is worth asking the school very frankly what specifically exists for those students: an assigned advisor, emergency assistance, and whether the institutional scholarship is renewed each year. And ask for the answer in writing.
What You Can Conclude and What Is Still Up to You
You now know Elizabethtown College in greater depth than most parents do before the first visit: you know its size, who makes up its community, how people are admitted, what it actually costs according to family income, how much debt is common, and what share of students stay and graduate. That is a real piece of the map.
But it is only one piece. What is missing is what your child wants to study and what your child has already built to get this far.
If you are just beginning to build the college list, ask your child what they want to study and how far away they imagine living. If Elizabethtown is already among the firm options, start gathering letters of recommendation early and complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. And if the admission letter has already arrived, do not decide based on the name or the sticker price: decide based on the amount left after aid, compared with what you can sustain as a family.
That next step belongs to you and your child. I only wanted you to reach it with a clear understanding of the kind of college in front of you.
The information in this article comes from IPEDS and the United States Department of Education, with data corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Elizabethtown College or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public data to help you understand it.