
Owings Mills, MDprivate nonprofitwww.stevenson.edu/
Admit rate has ranged 81%–91% over the last 5 years — notably volatile, though the latest figure above (79%) 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.
Stevenson University, a private institution in Owings Mills, Maryland, operates as a pragmatic, career-focused launchpad rather than a cloistered liberal arts college. Its identity is built on a high-touch, 14:1 student-faculty ratio and a sprawling menu of over 90 professionally oriented programs, with particular strength in health professions, business, and criminal justice. The vibe is less about cutthroat selectivity—it admits a broad majority of applicants—and more about shepherding a diverse student body toward solid, middle-class outcomes, boasting that over 90% of its graduates land in jobs or graduate school.
Test-blind — scores not considered
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
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.
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.
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.
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.
Stevenson's admissions process is decidedly accessible, designed to cast a wide net for students ready to engage with its career-preparatory curriculum. For the Fall 2024 semester, the university received 5,709 undergraduate applications and admitted 79% of them, a rate that underscores its inclusive approach. The admitted pool had an average GPA of 3.2, and middle 50% SAT scores ranged from 980 to 1180. The rate—the percentage of admitted students who enroll—has historically been low, averaging around 19% and dipping to 17% for the 2025 cycle, indicating that many admitted students ultimately choose other options. There is no mention of an Early Decision program or policy in the provided sources, nor is there information on whether Stevenson considers demonstrated interest in its admissions decisions.
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.
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.
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The academic experience at Stevenson is defined by practical, hands-on learning and close faculty mentorship. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1, the university emphasizes individualized attention. It offers more than 90 majors, minors, tracks, and pre-professional programs, organized into schools focused on high-demand fields. The most popular majors cluster in Health Professions and Related Programs, and Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, reflecting the institution's career-oriented mission. Programs in Forensics, Law, & Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Design, Film, & Communication are prominently featured. The curriculum is designed to be tailored, allowing students to align their education directly with specific career aspirations.
Life on Stevenson's campus is active and structured, with a strong emphasis on organized involvement. The university hosts over 80 clubs and organizations, alongside a Greek life presence of 5 fraternities and 7 sororities. A dedicated Office of Student Life & Leadership coordinates a full calendar of social events, club activities, and off-campus excursions, aiming to ensure there's "never a dull moment on campus." Residential life receives high marks, with the university touting one of the "Top 10 dorms in the country" and a variety of dining options. The environment is inclusive, welcoming all students—full-time and part-time—to participate in campus traditions and community-building activities.
Stevenson's value proposition is squarely tied to post-graduate success. The university reports that approximately 90.7% of its undergraduates matriculate to employment or graduate school within a short time of graduation, a figure it notes is above both its own historical averages and national benchmarks. The six-year graduation rate is reported at 65%, though other sources cite figures between 57% and 66%. For alumni earning power, data shows median earnings of $51,403 one year after graduation, rising to $67,174 after five years. These outcomes support the school's focused mission on launching students into stable, professional careers.
Stevenson's sticker price is significant, with a total listed at $60,820, comprising $41,270 for tuition and fees and $15,550 for room and board. However, the university heavily discounts this for most students through financial aid. It boasts that 99% of its students receive scholarships and/or financial aid, and 100% of full-time beginning undergraduates receive aid. The average financial aid package is $36,329. After accounting for this aid, the average —what students actually pay—is $26,505. The aid offering includes for qualifying families, as well as merit scholarships, though the university's financial aid materials describe loans as a standard component of aid packages, indicating it does not have a "no-loan" policy for meeting full need.
Stevenson University carves out its niche by unabashedly prioritizing professional outcomes over prestige or selectivity. It’s not trying to be an ultra-competitive research university; instead, it’s a practical, supportive environment where a student with a 3.2 GPA can gain direct access to faculty, choose from a vast array of career-focused majors, and be virtually guaranteed financial aid. Its standout statistic—over 90% of graduates swiftly moving into employment or further study—is the core of its appeal. Combined with a densely programmed student life and modern residential facilities, Stevenson offers a clear, no-nonsense path to the middle class, making it a compelling choice for students who know what they want to do and are seeking an efficient, supportive launchpad to get there.