Type
Private university
Location
Lewisburg, PA
Acceptance rate
32%
Undergrad enrollment
3,809
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with strong programs in engineering, business, and the humanities. It enrolls about 3,800 undergraduates, which keeps classes small and most courses taught by tenured faculty.
For 2026–27, Bucknell's published tuition and fees run about $68,000, and the total cost of attendance with on-campus housing and a meal plan reaches around $90,000. Despite the headline price, Bucknell is need-blind in admissions and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted undergraduates — using grants, not loans, to cover the gap.
About 65% of incoming students receive Bucknell grant aid, and the average grant award is over $58,000. The average net price for students who receive aid is roughly $30,000 per year, and a typical middle-income family will pay a much lower share of the published cost than the sticker price suggests.
Tuition & fees
$64,200
Total cost of attendance
$91,000
Tuition + housing + food + transport + other
Net price (after avg aid)
$58,000
After $33,000 average grant aid
Show full cost breakdown
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $64,200 |
| Housing | $15,800 |
| Food and meal plan | $7,000 |
| Transportation | $1,200 |
| Books and other | $2,800 |
| Total annual cost | $91,000 |
Bucknell meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students, including international students.
Bucknell Grant
Typical award: $30,000 / yr
Federal Pell Grant
Typical award: $7,395 / yr
Pennsylvania State Grant
Typical award: $4,500 / yr
Computer Science (BS)
Bachelor'sTop liberal-arts CS program with strong placement in FAANG and quant trading.
Program pageComputer Engineering (BS)
Bachelor'sABET-accredited program with hardware, embedded systems, and AI tracks.
Program pageMechanical Engineering (BS)
Bachelor'sABET-accredited ME program with concentrations in design, robotics, and energy.
Program pageFinance (BSB)
Bachelor'sAACSB-accredited business with concentrations in finance, accounting, and management.
Program pageEconomics (BA)
Bachelor'sStrong quant and pre-PhD track. Pre-med and pre-law advising available.
Program pageBiology (BS)
Bachelor'sPre-health advising with strong medical school placement record.
Program page
Regular decision deadline
January 15 (Regular Decision)
Early: November 15 (Early Decision I); January 1 (Early Decision II)
GPA (middle 50%)
3.8 – 4.3 weighted
Test policy
SAT 1440
ACT 31
“I picked Bucknell over bigger CS schools for the small class sizes and the financial aid. I have a 2:1 student-to-faculty ratio and my grant covered most of tuition.”
Senior, Computer Science
“I came in undecided between engineering and business. The first-year advising office had me sit in on both before I declared. Best decision I ever made was switching to CS.”
Junior, Engineering
“Pre-med at a liberal arts school means smaller labs and real professor relationships. I had a research position in a biology lab by sophomore year.”
Sophomore, Biology
6-year grad rate
93%
Median starting salary
$71,400
10-year ROI (net)
$296,000
Top-paying majors
- Computer Science$118,200
- Computer Engineering$112,400
- Finance$96,400
- Mechanical Engineering$84,800
- Economics$82,400
Where grads go: Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Pfizer, Tesla, Boston Consulting Group.
| School | Tuition | Type | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucknell University | $64,200 | Private | You are here |
| Lehigh University | Open the calculator | — | Pennsylvania private with similar engineering + liberal arts profile. |
| Lafayette College | Open the calculator | — | Nearby Pennsylvania liberal arts college with comparable cost and aid policies. |
| Colgate University | Open the calculator | — | New York liberal arts college with similar selective cost and meet-full-need model. |
Open the calculator, add Bucknell and one of the peers above, and the cost engine will fill in tuition, net price, and your loan gap automatically.
Official
Bucknell University Admissions
Apply, check deadlines, and learn about the colleges, majors, and honors programs.
Financial aid
Bucknell Financial Aid Office
Apply for aid, view cost of attendance, and learn about Bucknell's need-based and merit programs.
Calculator
Bucknell Net Price Calculator
Personalized cost estimate based on family income, household size, and number of children in college.
Official
Bucknell Tuition & Fees Schedule
Official tuition and fee tables for undergraduate, graduate, and engineering programs.
Financial aid
FAFSA on the Web
Required for federal grants, work-study, and federal loans. Bucknell also requires the CSS Profile for institutional aid.
Financial aid
CSS Profile — College Board
Required by Bucknell for institutional need-based aid. Plan to file by the priority deadline.
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