What kind of school it is and where it stands
Neumann University is a private, nonprofit, four-year university. The federal Carnegie system—which organizes US universities by what they do—classifies it as a master’s university with medium-sized programs, and as a small, primarily residential school: between 25 and 49 out of every 100 undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, and at least half studied full time. That information is from 2019-20, and between 2018 and 2021 Carnegie changed the category assigned to this school. If you come across an older guide that describes it differently, that does not mean either source is wrong: the system itself changed how it classifies the school.
Carnegie also places it in its “inclusive” category, which combines two types of schools: those that did not report admission test scores and those that did report them but showed broad access opportunities. The data do not tell you which of the two describes Neumann. It is a useful label, but not a complete one.
Physically, the university is in Aston, Pennsylvania, in Delaware County, within the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area. The census code places it in a suburb: inside the urbanized area but outside the city center. If your child plans to live at home and drive every day, do not rely on what the map says. Make the trip on a weekday at the time your child would have class. Actual traffic almost never matches the digital estimate.
IPEDS—the federal data system supporting this entire article—records the doctoral degree as the highest level the institution reports offering and classifies it as a school that awards degrees primarily at the bachelor’s level or above. That is general institutional information: it does not tell you whether the exact program your child is interested in exists or whether it connects to a graduate program. That must be checked program by program.
And one clarification worth making early: Neumann University does not have any of the three special federal designations—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations. Neumann’s lack of those designations says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child would feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today.
Who else will be there with your child
Neumann had 2,171 students enrolled in the most recent official count. It is a medium-sized school—neither one of the largest nor one of the smallest—compared with the 941 similar private schools in this census, where its size is among the most common.
But that total of 2,171 conceals something important: it includes graduate students. Only 1,695 are undergraduate students; the other 476 have already completed a degree and are studying something else. If your child is entering a bachelor’s-degree program, the number that matters to them is 1,695, not the school’s total enrollment.
Within the undergraduate population, the Hispanic or Latino community is a small minority: 8 out of every 100 students. Compared with 941 similar selective private schools, Neumann ranks below the midpoint of the group without falling into the bottom quartile. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not automatically make it good. It is enrollment data, not a verdict on the environment. If your child will be one of the few, it is worth asking during the visit which student groups and cultural centers exist, or whether anyone in the office speaks Spanish.
Other characteristics of this community: there are more women than men—61 out of every 100 are women; adults ages 25 to 64 are few, only 11 out of every 100; and slightly more than half of first-time students, 61 out of every 100, came from the same state of Pennsylvania when they applied.
How the academic year works and which credit it recognizes
Neumann uses a semester calendar: two long terms of about 15 weeks each, with the same dates for all students.
The university reported accepting credit from AP exams as well as what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—independent study, work experience, portfolios, licenses, prior military training, among other things. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the fine print that matters: the school’s statement that it accepts AP credit does not mean it awards credit for every exam. The report does not say what score is 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 enrolling. Do not budget for those savings until they are confirmed.
As for what students can study: in the most recent year reported, Neumann awarded 339 bachelor’s degrees across 18 academic program families. But the distribution is fairly concentrated: health professions accounted for 108 of those 339 degrees, or 32 out of every 100. That figure describes the distribution of degrees awarded, not the quality of any particular program or the current offerings. If your child has another interest, review the exact program.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 13 to 1. That is a low figure in general terms, but compared with 941 similar schools, it is above the median—meaning other similar schools have even lower ratios. Keep in mind that this number does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes. It is an institutional average, not a classroom promise.
What the university reports offering beyond the classroom
Neumann reports several structured opportunities: study abroad, undergraduate research, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, and pathways to teacher certification. Their inclusion in the report confirms that they exist as stated options; it does not say who qualifies, how many spaces are available, or how to apply. Ask the appropriate office directly.
How admission works: requirements, probability, and how likely students are to stay
Here is one of the parts that most affects a family’s plan.
Neumann reported that it does not have open admission: it reviews requirements before saying yes. Of nine possible admission considerations, it marked two as required: the high school GPA and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether that exam applies and what would exempt them. This is the kind of issue families discover too late if they do not ask in time.
Other components are not required, but they are considered if submitted: the complete high school record, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum required by the university, and the personal essay. The undergraduate application fee is $0.
Now for the numbers showing how selective the school is in practice. Of 4,212 first-time applicants in the most recent cycle, 3,218 were offered admission. That is 76 out of every 100—seven or eight out of ten. Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, that rate is among the most common, slightly above the midpoint of the group. It is an accessible school, not a lottery. But that number comes from only one cycle: if there are more applicants next year and the number of available places does not grow, the rate will fall on its own. When it is your child’s turn, check the current year’s data again.
Here is the part that surprises many families: out of every 100 admitted students, only 11 ended up enrolling. Put another way, for every nine people who received a yes, roughly one ended up coming here. Compared with 942 similar schools, that share is on the low side—in seven out of ten similar schools, a larger share of admitted students enrolls.
Do not read that as a mark against the school. The federal record does not explain why each family made its decision, and many of those admitted students already had other offers in hand. What it does tell you is something practical: what other people decided does not predict what your family will be offered. Wait for your own letter with the net price—the actual amount it would cost your family—before drawing conclusions about whether this school makes sense.
One more reassuring fact: Neumann reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admission decision, even if applicants submit them. That policy does not cover scholarships or course placement; ask about those separately.
As for transfers into Neumann: in the most recent count, 87 undergraduate students entered for the first time after studying at another institution. Compared with similar schools, that number places Neumann in the upper half by incoming transfer volume. How many credits the school accepted for those students is a separate question, and the school itself must answer it—the federal file does not report a transfer-out rate for this institution, and that does not mean nobody transfers out.
The listed price and what families actually pay
At Neumann University, among 92 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 $25,012. Among 62 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $27,393; among 83 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $34,049. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (92 students) and the average for the highest-income band (83 students) is $9,037. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $29,298.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Neumann falls within the most expensive quartile for lower-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the financial aid letter before deciding.
An average does not show how different the individual cases were within that band; these data do not establish that some families were far below or above the published figure. The income bands in 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.
Scholarships, Pell, and loans: where the money comes from
The good news first: 90 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something here is the norm, not the exception. Among recipients, the average was $22,167 per year—although an average conceals those who received much more and those who received much less. Out of every 100 students, 45 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
That $22,167 is real money, but it is not a price. What determines how much your family will pay is the amount left after all aid, and you will know that amount only from your own letter.
Now for the loan portion, where it is best to be direct: out of every 100 undergraduate students at Neumann, 70 received a federal loan last year. That is the majority, not the minority. Among borrowers, the average was $6,533 that year. Compared with 942 similar schools, Neumann is on the high side in the share of students who borrow.
If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would reach about $26,132, not counting interest—and that calculation does not include Parent PLUS loans, bank debt, or credit cards, because those data are not included in this report. Financing an education with debt is common here. Do the full calculation before signing anything, and request an estimated monthly payment before accepting any financial aid letter.
For anyone who needs to spread out payments, the institution reports an installment tuition payment plan as an available option.
Campus life, learning format, and available support
Neumann has institution-owned housing, although it is not required for all first-time, full-time students—the institution explicitly answered that it was not. It also offers meal plans, but the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The reported maximum capacity of institution-controlled housing is 742 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee an available bed: ask in writing for the current year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or students are placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: the university indicated that opportunities are available in two branches—Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked. Its inclusion in the report does not mean the program is taught on this campus; ask directly about available spaces, requirements, and whether an associated scholarship is available.
In athletics, Neumann competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, with membership specifically reported in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. That does not indicate the division in which each sport competes or whether athletic scholarships are available—ask the coach of the sport that interests your child directly, and get the answer in writing.
Regarding distance education: Neumann offers this format at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and reports at least one complete program that can be finished entirely through distance education. But in the most recent count, only 7 out of every 100 undergraduate students were taking all their classes through distance education—the other 93 took at least one class in person. Within the undergraduate population, it is the exception, not the norm.
The library operates with employed staff, and its annual spending exceeded the $100,000 threshold tracked by the government. It has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that specific databases exist for your child’s major—ask using the name of the major.
Finally, reported services include combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, job placement after program completion, on-campus child care, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a webpage for services for students with disabilities.
How many students stay and how many graduate
This is the part that carries the most weight over the long term, and it calls for candor.
Of the 392 first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor’s-degree program in the most recent fall, 272 met the official retention criterion the following year—meaning they were still enrolled or had already graduated. That is 69 out of every 100. Compared with 930 similar selective private schools, Neumann ranks in the lower portion: seven out of ten of those schools retained a larger share of their cohort. The data do not distinguish among students who transferred, paused their education, or simply took another path—not being counted as retained does not mean someone gave up.
Regarding graduation: of the full-time students who entered a bachelor’s-degree program in 2017, 46 out of every 100 had earned a degree from this school six years later. At four years—the timeframe most families have budgeted for—the figure is only 30 out of every 100, sixteen points lower. Compared with 920 similar schools, Neumann falls in the bottom quartile: three out of four similar schools graduated a larger share of their entering class.
At six years, it is essentially half and half. The data do not explain why each person did not finish there, but they do give you something concrete to ask: what specific support the school offers to help students finish on time, and how long students take on average to complete the major that interests your child. Those sixteen points between the fourth and sixth years almost always mean an additional year of tuition that was not included in the original budget.
Expanding the window to eight years, using a different cohort that includes full-time and part-time students: 55 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients specifically, the figure falls to 47 out of every 100—twelve points lower than among those who did not receive Pell. Compared with 935 similar schools, Neumann ranks below the midpoint of the group on this eight-year measure.
If your family would qualify for Pell today, it is worth asking specifically whether an advisor is assigned, whether emergency aid is available, and whether the institutional scholarship renews from year to year. Get the answers in writing.
What you already know, and what remains to be learned
You now have one solid piece of the map: you know that Neumann is a private, medium-sized school, Catholic in tradition but without a special federal designation, located in a Philadelphia suburb; that it admits 76 out of every 100 applicants but only 11 out of every 100 admitted students enroll; that its listed price is high but almost everyone receives some form of aid; that most students end up borrowing; and that its four-year graduation rate is low while its six-year rate is around half.
None of these numbers makes the decision for you. It is up to your child, when visiting the campus, to talk with students and feel whether the place fits what they want to study and the person they want to become. It is up to the university to admit, deny, and offer aid when the time comes. And it is up to you to do what nobody else can do for you: read the financial aid letter carefully, calculate the full cost before signing, and ask in writing about what this report cannot answer.
Now you know one of the pieces you need to make the decision in depth. Combine it with what your child wants to study, what they have accomplished so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. The plan comes from that combination, not from any single data point.
Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the US Department of Education, with data corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, depending on the indicator. Best College Aid does not represent Neumann University or any government agency; this article organizes public information to help you understand it.