Admit rate has ranged 76%–84% over the last 5 years — notably volatile, though the latest figure above (74%) falls outside that window. 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.
Gannon University is a Catholic institution in Erie, Pennsylvania, that operates like a pragmatic, career-focused engine room. With a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and over 100 academic programs, it delivers a hands-on, applied education where health professions and business dominate the landscape. Its urban campus fosters a tight-knit community, and while its 74% acceptance rate makes it accessible, its outcomes—a 66% graduation rate and median earnings of $58,845 a decade out—suggest it effectively propels students into stable, well-paying careers.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Letters of recommendation
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
2,365
In-state tuition
$40,656
Out-of-state tuition
$40,656
Top Majors
Health Professions (32%), Business (19%), Engineering (9%)
Campus Setting
Urban
Graduation Rate
66%
On-Campus Housing
52%
First-Year Retention
82%
Student/Faculty Ratio
13:1
Median Earnings (10yr)
$58,845
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$58,845
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.6×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
66%
First-year retention
76%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
67%
Pell (lower-income) share
24%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
26%
Financial health
2.8 / 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.
Mechanical Engineering$58,673
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$54,760
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$43,798
Finance and Financial Management Services$40,467
Accounting and Related Services$38,289
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
0.26
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
98
Summer high
76°F
Winter low
27°F
Annual rain
50.8"
Annual snow
61.7"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
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
96
Scholarly works
2,419
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
1.4%
Bottom → top quintile
21%
From bottom quintile
7%
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 Gannon University?
Gannon University's acceptance rate is approximately 74% (Erie, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Gannon University cost?
At Gannon University, the average net price (after aid) is about $22,553 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Gannon University?
Gannon University enrolls approximately 2,365 undergraduate students.
Where is Gannon University located?
Gannon University is located in Erie, PA.
Admissions
Gannon's admissions process is characterized by accessibility rather than extreme selectivity. The university admits about three-quarters of its applicants, with an of 74%. Admitted students typically present solid academic credentials: the middle 50% SAT range is 1050-1290, the ACT range is 21-27, and the average high school GPA is 3.6. Notably, Gannon has waived the SAT/ACT requirement for the vast majority of its academic programs for first-year applicants, signaling a move toward more . The university enrolled 2,768 undergraduates from an applicant pool of 6,547 in a recent cycle. While sources discuss Early Decision strategies broadly, no specific ED acceptance rate or share of the class filled via Early Decision is provided for Gannon in the allowed sources. Similarly, while the is referenced as a tool for understanding factors like demonstrated interest, the specific Gannon CDS detailing its exact rating of such factors is not among the provided URLs.
Acceptance Rate: 74%
Mid-50% SAT Range: 1050-1290
Mid-50% ACT Range: 21-27
Average High School GPA: 3.6
Test Policy: SAT/ACT requirement waived for most programs.
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.
$31,853
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$29,995
Business Administration, Management and Operations$29,685
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.
Gannon's academic identity is firmly rooted in professional preparation and hands-on learning. The university offers over 100 academic programs, including associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The curriculum is heavily skewed toward directly marketable fields: 32% of degrees are conferred in Health Professions and Related Programs, 19% in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, and 9% in Engineering. This focus on applied disciplines is underscored by institutional language promoting a "transformative education" and "hands-on" opportunities within each major. The student-faculty ratio is a manageable 13:1, which supports more personalized instruction. While nationally ranked (227th out of 389 National Universities by one source), Gannon's reputation is built less on prestige and more on practical outcomes and a holistic approach to student success that has received national recognition.
Life at Gannon unfolds on an urban campus in Erie, Pennsylvania, where a strong sense of community is frequently cited as a defining characteristic. The smaller campus size and friendly environment make it easy for students to build friendships. With over 90 clubs and organizations, including a growing Greek life presence noted by student media, there are ample avenues for involvement. The campus is fairly residential, with 52% of students living in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 48% living off-campus. Student life is rounded out by varsity athletics, club sports, intramurals, and domestic and international travel programs. The total undergraduate population is 3,091, creating a mid-sized, intimate setting where it's hard to remain anonymous.
Gannon's value proposition is validated by its student outcomes, which consistently outperform national medians. The university's graduation rate is 66%, notably higher than the 59% midpoint for four-year colleges. Retention of first-year students is a solid 82%. Post-graduation, the median earnings ten years after entry are $58,845. Other data points show average earnings climbing from $43,100 six years after entry to $49,700 eight years after entry, indicating steady career progression for alumni. These figures suggest Gannon successfully prepares its graduates—particularly in health, business, and engineering—for stable, financially rewarding careers.
Gannon is a private university with a sticker price that is mitigated for most students by institutional aid. The average after aid—the actual cost families pay—is $22,553. A significant majority of full-time, first-year undergraduates (83%) receive grant or scholarship aid, with the average aid package reported as $35,721 by one source. The university offers a wide variety of merit-based, need-based, and athletic awards. The financial aid process requires the FAFSA, which can be filed after October 1 of a student's senior year. While the university provides detailed information on loans and encourages students to adjust borrowing, the provided sources do not indicate that Gannon has a "no-loan" policy or commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans.
Gannon University stands out as a purpose-driven, no-nonsense institution that successfully bridges accessibility and outcome. It welcomes a broad range of students (74% ) but then graduates them at an above-average rate (66%) into careers with strong earning potential ($58,845 median 10-year earnings). Its singular focus is clear: a professionally oriented curriculum where over half of all degrees are in health professions and business, delivered with a hands-on, Catholic-infused approach and a supportive 13:1 student-faculty ratio. Unlike schools that trade on selectivity or sprawling research, Gannon's appeal is its pragmatic engine—taking students from diverse academic backgrounds and efficiently equipping them for the workforce. The tight-knit, urban campus community reinforces this mission, creating an environment where practical education and personal connection are the cornerstones.
Gannon University seal · sourceCampus Locations | Gannon University · sourceAbout Gannon | Gannon University · sourceAbout Gannon | Gannon University · source
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/gannon/media/gannon-university/content-assets/images/campus/ruskin/RuskinCampus-Exterior_20190821_0019.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/gannon/media/gannon-university/content-assets/images/campus/erie/campus/aerial-campus.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/gannon/media/gannon-university/content-assets/images/campus/erie/arch/DuskCampus_20180326_0002.jpg)