Admit rate has ranged 13%–33% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. 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.
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences is a tightly focused, clinically immersive health sciences school embedded within a major Pennsylvania hospital system. With a 29% acceptance rate and nursing as its dominant program (84% of graduates), it offers direct pipelines into Tower Health jobs—nearly half of recent grads joined the health system. The vibe is pragmatic and hands-on, with tuition under $13K and scholarships targeting workforce needs.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
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
294
In-state tuition
$12,225
Out-of-state tuition
$12,225
Location
Reading, PA (on hospital campus)
Top Major
Nursing (84% of graduates)
Acceptance Rate
29.2%
Application Fee
$30
Recent Grads Hired by Tower Health
54%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$74,572
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.6×
Median debt at graduation
$20,885
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
72%
Pell (lower-income) share
56%
First-generation share
53%
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.
Financial health
-0.9 / 3.0Below the federal standard — financial stress
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.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
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
85°F
Winter low
28°F
Annual rain
47.6"
Annual snow
17.5"
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.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences?
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences's acceptance rate is approximately 29% (Reading, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences cost?
At Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences, the average net price (after aid) is about $28,415 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences?
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences enrolls approximately 294 undergraduate students.
Where is Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences located?
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences is located in Reading, PA.
Admissions
Getting into Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences is competitive but not cutthroat, with a 29.2% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. (31 students admitted from 106 applications in 2024). The school receives about 110 applications annually. Admissions are selective, evaluating applicants on:
Academic ability (though only 5% submit SAT scores)
Interview performance
Writing samples
References
Previous healthcare experience
A $30 non-refundable application fee is required, with deadlines varying by program. Nursing is the most popular major, drawing over half of all students.
This is a school for doers, not theoreticians. Programs are laser-focused on immediate workforce needs, with 84% of graduates earning degrees in Registered Nursing—the rest split between Radiologic Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and Surgical Technology. Key features:
Clinical rotations happen within Reading Hospital, a 700-bed regional medical center
Affiliation with Alvernia University allows some students to earn college credits
The curriculum emphasizes hands-on training over liberal arts requirements
Small cohorts (just 79 graduates in a recent class) ensure close faculty attention
At ~$12,225 for tuition (same in/out-of-state), this is one of Pennsylvania’s more affordable health programs. Financial details:
Average financial aid award: $5,022
Scholarships target high-need fields like Surgical Technology
Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator helps estimate costs after aid
Students from families earning over $110K pay ~$31,557 total
Pro tip: Check the hospital’s tuition scholarships for Nursing and Medical Imaging students.
This school is a stealth bargain for pragmatic students who want:
1. Hospital-embedded training—no ‘campus’ distractions, just ORs and ICUs 2. Direct hiring pipelines—over half of grads get jobs in the Tower Health system 3. Nursing dominance—84% of degrees are RNs, creating a tight-knit cohort 4. No-frills affordability—$12K tuition beats most private health programs
Downsides? Limited social life and no four-year degrees. But for focused future clinicians, it’s hard to beat the ROI.
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences logo · sourceHomepage | Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences · sourceCampus Map | Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences · sourceThe Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences Employees, Location, Alumni | LinkedIn · source
