Reading, PA · Private · 2,152 undergraduates · urban
Alvernia University
Moderately selective
Alvernia’s SEARCH general-education program integrates liberal arts and Catholic Franciscan values across every major.
Institutional profile
Regionally focused Strongest in academic standing and mobility.- Admission
- 62.3% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 65.4%
5,491 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$55,055 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Alvernia University apart
Academic design
More than 50 undergraduate programs combine core skills in communication, critical thinking and problem solving with applied learning. Health, business, education, engineering-related study and the liberal arts all sit within a Franciscan framework.
Campus pattern
The main campus is in Reading, with community partnerships and service work extending into the city and surrounding county. Student culture reflects the university’s emphasis on service, leadership and practical engagement.
Defining feature
Alvernia’s SEARCH general-education program integrates liberal arts and Catholic Franciscan values across every major.
Can I get in?
62.3% admitted
Start with academic preparation, then show why this particular academic and campus environment fits you.
Recent applicant pool
5,491About 62 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 8% submitted an SAT. Almost nobody admitted here sent a score, which leaves the SAT range standing on a handful of files.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Alvernia University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Alvernia University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
More than 50 undergraduate programs combine core skills in communication, critical thinking and problem solving with applied learning. Health, business, education, engineering-related study and the liberal arts all sit within a Franciscan framework.
Make the fit specific
Alvernia’s SEARCH general-education program integrates liberal arts and Catholic Franciscan values across every major.
Account for the tradeoff
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and make the school-specific case concrete.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Alvernia University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Alvernia’s SEARCH general-education program integrates liberal arts and Catholic Franciscan values across every major.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Admits separately
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Business Administration, Management and Operations
What is campus life like?
Alvernia University beyond the classroom
The main campus is in Reading, with community partnerships and service work extending into the city and surrounding county. Student culture reflects the university’s emphasis on service, leadership and practical engagement.
A defining academic feature
More than 50 undergraduate programs combine core skills in communication, critical thinking and problem solving with applied learning. Health, business, education, engineering-related study and the liberal arts all sit within a Franciscan framework.
What shapes an ordinary week
The main campus is in Reading, with community partnerships and service work extending into the city and surrounding county. Student culture reflects the university’s emphasis on service, leadership and practical engagement.
What changes the experience
Alvernia’s SEARCH general-education program integrates liberal arts and Catholic Franciscan values across every major.