Admit rate has ranged 32%–38% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Bucknell University is a selective liberal arts powerhouse in rural Pennsylvania, blending rigorous academics with a tight-knit, socially active campus culture. Known for its strong engineering and management programs alongside traditional liberal arts, Bucknell offers a 'small college' feel with the resources of a larger university—though its homogeneity and Greek life dominance draw mixed reviews.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
3,876
In-state tuition
$67,812
Out-of-state tuition
$67,812
Location
Lewisburg, PA
Acceptance Rate
32%
Avg Starting Salary
$70,000+
Student-Faculty Ratio
9:1
4-Year Graduation Rate
87%
6-Year Graduation Rate
91%
Students Receiving Aid
55%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$93,807
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.3×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
86%
First-year retention
94%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
90%
Pell (lower-income) share
32%
First-generation share
12%
Endowment / student
$301,155
Financial health
2.7 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Engineering$87,604
Computer and Information Sciences, General$81,498
Chemical Engineering$76,460
Mechanical Engineering$69,002
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$66,821
Accounting and Related Services$66,147
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
14
Per 1,000 students
3.61
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
89
Summer high
84°F
Winter low
25°F
Annual rain
42.6"
Annual snow
24.5"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Low
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
192
Scholarly works
10,744
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.5%
Bottom → top quintile
55%
From bottom quintile
3%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Bucknell University?
Bucknell University's acceptance rate is approximately 29% (Lewisburg, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Bucknell University?
Admitted students at Bucknell University typically score 1310–1470 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Bucknell University cost?
At Bucknell University, the average net price (after aid) is about $40,766 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Bucknell University?
Bucknell University enrolls approximately 3,876 undergraduate students.
Where is Bucknell University located?
Bucknell University is located in Lewisburg, PA.
Admissions
Bucknell's admissions are highly selective, with recent Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering around 32% (Class of 2029). The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 1340–1500, and the average high school GPA is 3.74 (4.0 scale). Notably, Bucknell has been test-optional since 2019 as part of a five-year pilot program—in recent years, 43-47% of admitted students applied without test scores. The university receives over 11,000 applications annually for a first-year class of about 1,000 students.
Early Decision advantage: Bucknell favors ED applicants, with higher acceptance rates compared to Regular Decision.
Demographics: Admitted classes are predominantly white (per student reports), though the university has increased efforts to diversify.
Financial aid: 55% of students receive aid, with an average grant award of $27,618.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Civil Engineering
$65,610
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$63,005
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Bucknell operates through three distinct colleges: Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and the Freeman College of Management. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary flexibility—students can major in English and pursue med school, or study engineering while preparing for management roles.
Standout programs: Engineering (particularly mechanical and electrical) and management are nationally ranked, but the liberal arts core is equally robust, with strong departments in humanities and social sciences.
Faculty access: With a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, professors are notably accessible. Students praise their dedication to teaching while maintaining active research profiles.
Unusual offerings: Bucknell encourages unconventional academic paths, like combining anthropology with filmmaking or pairing music with pre-med tracks.
Life at Bucknell revolves around a vibrant but insular campus culture in rural Lewisburg. The social scene is dominated by Greek life (about 40% participation), though alternatives exist through 150+ clubs. Students describe the vibe as 'moderate' politically, with many peers 'politically unaware/uninterested'.
Safety: 95% of students report feeling 'extremely safe' on campus.
Diversity: The student body is ~80% white, a frequent critique in student discussions.
Traditions: From 'First Night' celebrations to the annual 'Bucknellian' student newspaper roast, traditions foster community.
Athletics: Division I sports (Patriot League) are popular, especially basketball, though not as central as at larger schools.
Bucknell boasts strong post-graduation outcomes, with 91% of students earning degrees within six years (well above national averages). Within nine months of graduation, 94% of the Class of 2025 secured employment or graduate school placements.
Salaries: Average starting salary is $70,000+, with engineering and management grads commanding higher figures.
Notable alumni: Bucknell has produced CEOs (DuPont, PepsiCo), Pulitzer winners, and NASA engineers.
Graduate schools: Top destinations include Columbia, Penn, and Georgetown for law/business; Johns Hopkins and UPenn for medicine.
At $70,576 for tuition/fees, Bucknell is among the pricier private colleges, but 55% of students receive financial aid, reducing the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. to $38,486.
Average aid package: $52,500 (combining grants, scholarships, and loans).
Merit scholarships: Available but competitive; most aid is need-based.
Hidden costs: Students report spending $2,800+ annually on books, travel, and personal expenses.
Bucknell delivers a rare hybrid: the intimate mentorship of a liberal arts college with the professional pipelines of a larger university. Its engineering/liberal arts integration is particularly distinctive—unlike tech-focused institutes, Bucknell engineers often double-major in humanities. The rural campus fosters intense community bonds, for better (95% feel safe) or worse (some call it a 'bubble'). While the social scene leans Greek and homogeneous, students who thrive here value close professor relationships and unusually flexible career pathways—whether that's a philosophy major turned Wall Street analyst or a biomedical engineer turned documentary filmmaker.
