Advancing the Mission of PA’s Independent, Nonprofit Colleges & Universities
By focusing on advocacy, collaboration, research and communications, AICUP is committed to supporting the advancement of Pennsylvania’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities.
Find out how Pennsylvania’s largest sector of higher education helps to create:
• 200,000 jobs created and sustained by AICUP schools; among the Top Employers in PA
• $29 billion annual economic contrition by AICUP schools ($65 billion with affiliated hospitals)
• 7% of Pennsylvania’s economy when including AICUP schools’ teaching hospitals (“eds and meds”)
• 158 to 1 Return on Investment of state dollars by AICUP schools
Economic Impact Report (NEW! 2025)
Find out how Pennsylvania’s largest sector of higher education helps to create:
• 200,000 jobs created and sustained by AICUP schools; among the Top Employers in PA
• $29 billion annual economic contrition by AICUP schools ($65 billion with affiliated hospitals)
• 7% of Pennsylvania’s economy when including AICUP schools’ teaching hospitals (“eds and meds”)
• 158 to 1 Return on Investment of state dollars by AICUP schools
Business Efficiency Programs
Pennsylvania’s independent colleges and universities have a well-deserved reputation for supporting collaborative business services projects. It’s a tribute to the AICUP membership that it leverages one another’s strengths in such a purposeful manner.
Bill Gindlesperger
May 1, 2026
Franklin County Free Press
Stacy Wescoe
April 27, 2026
Lehigh Valley Business Journal & Central Penn Business Journal
𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲?
🤔
The average net cost to attend an #AICUP school in #Pennsylvania has been 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘁 for 10 years, and in many cases, costs have actually gone 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻.
As @theatlantic put it, “Americans are paying 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 for #college, on average, than they were a decade ago.”
AICUP schools keep college 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, with the best quality education in #PA with the best on-time graduation rates.
𝟵𝟰% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘀𝘆𝗹𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗜𝗖𝗨𝗣 schools, according to @washingtonpost
47% of Pennsylvania’s #students from 𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 households earn their degree at an AICUP school, the most of any sector.
As the @brookingsinst concluded, “low-income students have higher 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 rates at private #colleges.”
Learn more facts at the 𝗔𝗜𝗖𝗨𝗣 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱, find it on our website.
👉 https://aicup.org/communications/dashboard/
𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿𝘀? 🤔
#NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/05/business/philosophy-majors-ai-jobs.html
Contrary to popular myths about jobs and majors, the annual salary for #philosophy grads is over $80,000, according to a survey by Gray Decision Intelligence. Major tech founders from #Anthropic and #PayPal majored in philosophy. According to @bigthinkers, "Philosophy majors...tend to make more money." Tech billionaire Daniela Amodei said that in an #AI age, "studying the #humanities is going to be more important than ever." 🎓
We promoted the value of higher education in an AI age in AICUP President Tom Foley`s February article in @pennlive: "Those who choose to pursue the hard work of education and critical thinking can best master the technologies of the future and not just be subject to them... Jobs change, industries change, technologies change. Learning how to learn and instilling a drive for lifelong learning—whether that is a new hobby, new language, or a new skill, are hallmarks of higher education in America. With these skills, Americans can navigate anything." 🙌
Sources:
https://aicup.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Gray-DI-_-2025-12-05-v2-RGA-Bachelors-in-Philosophy-Jobs-public.pdf
https://bigthink.com/thinking/philosophy-majors-smarter-make-more-money/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DU53vQdjVJZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/C68P-jzMjEv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2026/02/why-college-remains-americas-best-investment-despite-the-skeptics-opinion.html
#HigherEdBuildsAmerica #HigherEducationBuildsAmerica #college #Pennsylvania
#AICUP schools create #jobs for #Pennsylvania
The 80+ independent nonprofit #colleges and #universities in Pennsylvania support and sustain nearly 𝟮𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 jobs, are among the 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟮𝟱 employers in nearly 1 in 3 counties, and are 𝘵𝘩𝘦 top employer in 3 counties in #PA.
🎓👩⚕️👷♀️👩🏭🧑💼👷
Learn more
👉
https://aicup.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AICUP-Economic-Impact-Report-8.1.2025-single-pages.pdf
#HigherEdBuildsAmerica #HigherEducationBuildsAmerica
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! On behalf of Pennsylvania’s 80+ independent nonprofit #colleges and #universities, #AICUP wishes you a happy #IndependenceDay celebration.
Pennsylvania’s independent nonprofit colleges have served the Commonwealth, on average, for over 140 years, and two AICUP member schools were even founded before the signing of the Declaration of #Independence in 1776.
These schools contribute $29 billion annually to the #Commonwealth; $65 billion when including their affiliated hospitals, or nearly 7% of the #Pennsylvania economy.
🗽👏 🎆
#July4 #4thOfJuly #July4th #FourthOfJuly #250 #America250 #America250PA #PA250 #PA250 #semiquincentennial #RedWhiteAndBlue
Nine education leaders were elected to new statewide roles on the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent #Colleges and #Universities of #Pennsylvania (#AICUP), with terms beginning July 1.
#News release:
https://aicup.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/New-Board-_-AICUP-July-2026-2.pdf
Congratulations, and thank you for serving: Elizabeth Meade, President of @cedarcrestcollege in #Allentown (AICUP Chair); Chris Domes, President of @neumannuniversity in Delaware County #DelCo (AICUP Vice Chair); Rev. Thomas Looney, President of @kingscollegepa in #WilkesBarre (AICUP Secretary/Treasurer); Jon Jay DeTemple, President of @harcumcollege in Montgomery County #MontCo; Walter Iwanenko, President of @gannonu in #Erie; Christina Clark, President of @larocheuniv in #Pittsburgh; Glynis Fitzgerald, President of @alverniau in #ReadingPA; Charles “Chip” Edmonds, President of @lycomingcollege in #Williamsport; and Lisa Lori, President of @marywooduniversity in #Scranton. 🎓
93% of #college #graduates would choose to earn their #degree again, according to #Gallup.
🎓 🙌
#WorthIt #AICUP
Source: "#Alumni Perspectives on #HigherEducation Experiences, Outcomes and Value," by Lumina and Gallup, May 2026.
𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘵? This Wednesday is #NationalMascotDay, which means you only have 3 months left to practice your somersaults and backflips for #AICUP 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆 at the #PA State #Capitol on September 29th! Consider this your reminder, because we expect to see 80+ #mascots in #Harrisburg from #Pennsylvania ’s independent nonprofit #colleges and #universities! Let’s hear it: A-I-C-U-P!
🤸🦁🦅🐺🐻🐝🐯🙌 📢🚨🥳
https://youtu.be/yZ5uMKJvOJs?si=RxJmUZYx9RSnNq6U
$𝟮𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀! 🥳
⛳🏌♀️ Golfers teed off June 2nd alongside business and community leaders at AICUP`s 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗳 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. This fun day on the green helps to fund #Commonwealth Good Citizen Scholarships for AICUP #college #students in #Pennsylvania.
🎓 #AICUP funded 𝟭𝟭 #scholarships last year thanks in part to this annual event, and we look forward to announcing the 2026 #scholarship winners this September.
👉 It`s not too early to mark your calendar now for next year`s #golf outing on 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳, at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in #YorkPA. #Sponsorship opportunities will be available in February.
🏆 See last year`s scholarship winners on AICUP`s social media posts and at the link here:
https://aicup.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AICUP-scholarship-winners-Sept-8-2025.pdf
💡 Learn more about AICUP scholarships or ask your school`s #financialaid office to apply:
https://aicup.org/philanthropy/aicup-scholarships/
👏 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀.
Take Action
The future of Pennsylvania’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities relies on dedicated community members advocating for philanthropic support, fair legislation, and increased accessibility for students. Whether legislator, student, faculty, or business owner, you too can take action and get involved by sharing our research, supporting our educational programs, or taking part in one of our many advocacy initiatives or events.