College tuition fees rose 4.2% in Delaware County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $36,363 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,469 more than the previous school year.
Among the 17 institutions in the county, Haverford College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $63,628. Villanova University followed with an average of $61,618 per year. Delaware County Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $10,490.
At the time, a total of $123.1 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Delaware County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $30.6 million.
Currently there are 17 higher education institutions in Delaware County, including Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Empire Beauty School-Springfield, and Pennsylvania Institute of Technology.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County Technical School-Practical Nursing Program | 29 | $143,636 | $4,953 | 34 | $249,666 | $7,343 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 266 | $2,495,085 | $9,380 | 222 | $2,197,684 | $9,899 |
| Neumann University | 367 | $10,045,592 | $27,372 | 310 | $2,822,775 | $9,106 |
| Venus Beauty Academy | 50 | $167,384 | $3,348 | 36 | $195,900 | $5,442 |
| Eastern University | 359 | $11,239,715 | $31,308 | 318 | $2,843,568 | $8,942 |
| Empire Beauty School-Springfield | 67 | $369,604 | $5,516 | 72 | $557,589 | $7,744 |
| Swarthmore College | 230 | $14,279,228 | $62,084 | 35 | $208,941 | $5,970 |
| Pennsylvania Institute of Technology | 56 | $350,617 | $6,261 | 63 | $475,597 | $7,549 |
| All-State Career School | 448 | $2,549,814 | $5,692 | 409 | $2,652,607 | $6,486 |
| Widener University | 533 | $19,965,041 | $37,458 | 451 | $5,592,165 | $12,399 |
| Valley Forge Military College | 36 | $798,857 | $22,190 | 7 | $92,400 | $13,200 |
| Delaware County Community College | 294 | $2,077,270 | $7,066 | 414 | $2,374,267 | $5,735 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 186 | $2,972,546 | $15,981 | 61 | $408,599 | $6,698 |
| Haverford College | 153 | $9,455,772 | $61,802 | 29 | $277,219 | $9,559 |
| Williamson College of the Trades | 116 | $4,234,000 | $36,500 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Villanova University | 823 | $35,346,299 | $42,948 | 660 | $7,900,624 | $11,971 |
| Cabrini University | 276 | $6,630,892 | $24,025 | 224 | $1,786,210 | $7,974 |
