About Elizabethtown College
Our commitment is to Educate for Service. We believe that learning is most noble when used to benefit others, regardless of chosen career path. We prepare our students to lead rich lives of purpose and meaning, while advancing independent thought, personal integrity and social responsibility. These are the foundations for a life of learning. We foster the values of peace, non-violence, human dignity and social justice.
Quick Facts






Traditions
There are numerous official (and unofficial) traditions to help you connect to campus and your fellow students, alumni, staff and faculty. More about our Traditions
Educational Philosophy
Elizabethtown College believes that students can perform no greater service than sharing knowledge and creativity with others. Our Educational Philosophy
At a Glance
Elizabethtown College, with 1,691 undergraduates from 18 states and 13 foreign countries, is an independent, residential, coeducational college in south-central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The College, established by the Church of the Brethren in 1899, maintains 7 schools and offers a variety of programs at numerous award levels. The core curriculum emphasizes the arts, humanities and sciences.
History
Elizabethtown College was chartered in 1899 by members of the Church of the Brethren who were interested in establishing an institution of higher education for their denomination in eastern Pennsylvania. Read more
Location
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania is located in western Lancaster County. The College is also a short drive from the state capital, Harrisburg, and popular entertainment destination, Hershey.
Campus
- 204-acre campus
- Academic Buildings
- Residential Halls
- Performance Venues and Galleries
- 80,000 Sq. Ft. Fitness and Well-being Center
Academics
- 7 Schools
- 5 Undergraduate Certificates
- 4 Associate’s Majors
- 63 Bachelor’s Majors
- 9 Master’s Majors
- 11 Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
- 1 Doctorate Major
- 12.1 FTE Student/Faculty ratio
- 15.3 (for 2021-22 school year) Average Class Size
- 73.1% 2016 Cohort 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 140,957 Volumes in Circulation in High Library
Faculty
- 104 full-time faculty (traditional college)
- 88.5% of full-time faculty hold a doctorate or terminal degree in their field
- 96 Part-time faculty (traditional college & School of Graduate and Professional Studies)
Student Life
- 1,742 traditional students
- 80.2% of traditional undergraduate students live on campus
- 76 clubs and organizations
- 185 Number of Service Projects per year (including academic service-learning, clubs, groups, into the streets, MLK, service trip)
- 950 students participate in service-related projects (many students do more than one type of service per year)
Athletics
- 24 NCAA Division III athletic teams
- 14 Intramural sports
Accreditation
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education
- Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association (ACOTE)
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- National Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- PA Department of Education
- American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training (ACS)
- National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Diversity at Etown
2021-22 Undergraduate / Degree-seeking
Full-time Students: 1,537 (26 international students)
- White: 1,285 students (83.6%)
- Asian: 34 students (2.2%)
- Hispanic/Latino: 95 students (6.2%)
- Black/African-American: 33 students (2.1%)
- Two or more races: 34 students (2.2%)
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 1 student (0.1%)
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0 students (0%)
- Race and Ethnicity Unknown: 29 students (1.9%)
Part-time Students: 13 (0 international students)
- White: 11 students (84.6%)
- Black/African-American: 0 students (0%)
- Hispanic/Latino: 1 students (7.7%)
- Asian: 0 students (0%)
- Native Hawaiian / other Pacific Islander: 0 students (0%)
- Two or more races: 0 students (0%)
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 students (0%)
- Race and Ethnicity Unknown: 1 student (7.7%)
Full-time Faculty
Full-time Faculty: 104
- White: 85 (81.7%)
- Asian: 4 (3.8%)
- Hispanic: 5 (4.8%)
- Black/African-American: 2 (1.9%)
- International: 3 (2.9%)
- Race and Ethnicity Uknown: 5 (4.8%)
Part-time Faculty
Part-time Faculty: 96
- White: 82 (85.4%)
- Asian: 4 (3.8%)
- Hispanic: 5 (4.8%)
- Black/African-American: 2 (2.1%)
- International: 1 (1.0%)
- Race and Ethnicity Unknown: 5 (5.2%)
Staff
Administration & Staff (full- and part-time): 317
- White: 297 (93.7%)
- Black or African American: 4 (1.3%)
- Hispanic: 10 (3.2%)
- Asian: 4 (1.3%)
- Race and Ethnicity unknown: 4 (1.3%)