Widener University
Widener University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Widener University Featured Rankings
About Widener University
According to Wikipedia, Widener University is a private university in Chester, Pennsylvania. The university has three other campuses: two in Pennsylvania and one in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded as The Bullock School for Boys in 1821, the school was established in Wilmington, Delaware. It became The Alsop School for Boys from 1846 to 1853, and then Hyatt's Select School for Boys from 1853 to 1859. Military instruction was introduced in 1858, and the school changed its name in 1859 to Delaware Military Academy. It moved to Pennsylvania in 1862 and became Chester County Military Academy. It was known as Pennsylvania Military College after 1892 and adopted the Widener name in 1972.
Widener University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,167 | 71% | 78% | 67% | 1185 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Widener University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $58,280 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $22,941 |
| 30K - 48K | $23,070 |
| 48K - 75K | $22,778 |
| 75K - 110K | $22,978 |
| 110K+ | $33,566 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Widener University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Widener University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $76,782 a year, and 95% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Widener University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 6,270 | 3,046 | 3,224 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Widener University?
Widener University is located at One University Place, Chester, PA 19013-5792.
How Safe is Widener University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Widener University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Widener University has a violent crime rate of 0.21% and a property crime rate of 0.12%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is Widener University Known For?
Widener University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- Law
- Medical
- Physics
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Business
- History
- Political Science
- Education
- Biology
- Literature
- Anthropology
- Mathematics
- Sociology
- Computer Science
Widener University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Widener University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Widener University ranks #184 in the U.S. and #430 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesWidener University ranks #285 in the U.S. and #775 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWidener University ranks #291 in the U.S. and #725 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesWidener University ranks #381 in the U.S. and #1965 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWidener University ranks #403 in the U.S. and #1378 worldwide for influence in Law.
Widener University ranks #456 in the U.S. and #1684 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesWidener University ranks #465 in the U.S. and #2119 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesWidener University ranks #579 in the U.S. and #3378 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesWidener University ranks #639 in the U.S. and #1194 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesWidener University ranks #669 in the U.S. and #2507 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesWidener University ranks #692 in the U.S. and #2627 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesWidener University ranks #693 in the U.S. and #2010 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesWidener University ranks #805 in the U.S. and #3507 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesWidener University ranks #844 in the U.S. and #3660 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesWidener University ranks #922 in the U.S. and #3971 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesWidener University ranks #942 in the U.S. and #2826 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesWidener University ranks #986 in the U.S. and #2996 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesWidener University ranks #1354 in the U.S. and #5165 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesWidener University ranks #1625 in the U.S. and #4999 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWidener University ranks #1849 in the U.S. and #7299 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Widener University's Most Influential Alumni?
Widener University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Communications, and Psychology. Here are some of Widener University's most famous alumni:
- Louis Comfort Tiffany
- An American stained glass and jewelry designer .
- Cecil B. DeMille
- An American film director, producer and actor .
- George Michael
- An American professor, political scientist.
- Omowunmi Sadik
- A Nigerian professor, chemist, and inventor.
- Pat Quinn
- A Canadian ice hockey player.
- Patrick Murphy
- A Former Acting United States Secretary of the Army.
- Ericka Hart
- An American sex educator, model, and professor.
- Deborah Watkins Bruner
- A Researcher.
