Lesley University
Lesley University is a private nonprofit university in Cambridge, MA, with about 2,519 students on campus.
What to know about Lesley University
Family background barely changes what graduates earn
Ten years after starting, students from lower-income families earn a median $50,588, about the same as the $51,283 earned by students from families making over $75,000. Outcomes ↓
Lower-income families pay more here than at most colleges
Families earning under $30,000 still pay about $24,799 a year after grants. The average family on aid pays $31,152, more than at 87% of 4-year colleges. What it costs ↓
Students are a big part of Cambridge
25% of Cambridge’s 122,588 residents are enrolled in college. Median rent runs 58% above the state. Living in Cambridge ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Do students finish, and does it pay off?
Debt vs. the paycheck
The typical loan payment as a share of a typical graduate’s monthly pay six years after starting
$223 a month against about $3,346 a month in pay.
Paying back loans
Federal student loans, this college
of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 78% of U.S. colleges.
Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).
Earnings by family background
Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment
How hard is it to get into Lesley University?
of applicants admitted
About 19 of every 20 applicants get in.
Test scores of admitted students
No SAT or ACT ranges reported. Lesley University is likely test-optional and admits nearly everyone who applies.
The sticker price, and what families really pay
Sticker price: $51,538 a year
Before any grants
After grants, the average family on aid pays $31,152.
Your family’s price
Average net price after grants, by family income
About $116,120 over 4 years · 44% off the sticker price
What students study, and what it pays
Share of degrees by field
Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates
And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).
The students
1,122 degree-seeking undergraduates.
By race and ethnicity
Women and men
Living in Cambridge
25% of Cambridge’s 122,588 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Cambridge pages.
Other colleges within 30 miles
Straight-line distances from Lesley University; colleges with 100 or more students on campus.
Ask around
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.