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Private 4-Year Minimally Selective Chicago, IL NCAA Division I without football

DePaul University

Chicago, IL

75.9%
Acceptance Rate
$69,027/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$30,902/yr
Avg Price After Aid
68.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
14,090
Undergrads

About DePaul University

DePaul University is a private nonprofit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. With approximately 14,090 undergraduates, it serves a substantial student body in an urban setting. The university maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
14,090
Avg Faculty Salary
$114,546
Athletics
NCAA Division I without football
Endowment
$1B
Pell Students
31.8%
First-Gen
30.2%
What DePaul University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Computer Programming/Programmer 134 graduates · 4.4% of degrees here vs 0.09% nationally 50×
Public Relations, Advertising, and... 70 graduates · 2.3% of degrees here vs 0.05% nationally 45×
Cinematography and Film/Video Production 269 graduates · 8.8% of degrees here vs 0.3% nationally 29×
Health Services/Allied Health/Health... 137 graduates · 4.5% of degrees here vs 0.83% nationally
Finance 226 graduates · 7.4% of degrees here vs 2.13% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
75.9%
Acceptance rate · Minimally Selective
32,176
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$30,902 avg net
Average net price after aid
$27,359
Under $30K income
$1B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$54,695 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
68.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
$23,168
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

DePaul University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
75.9%
32,176 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
17:1
Undergrad instruction

DePaul University has an acceptance rate of 75.9%, indicating that the majority of applicants gain admission. This relatively high acceptance rate reflects minimal selectivity in the admissions process.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 32,176 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1140–1330
40080012001600
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 12,824 9,038 70.5% 1,276
Women 19,352 14,622 75.6% 1,667
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

DePaul University admits 75.9% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
75.9%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
IL (69)
77.3%
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (49)
77.5%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

DePaul University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$30,902
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$23,168
Federal Loan Rate
45.9%
Students borrowing federal loans

DePaul University's cost of attendance is $69,027, while the average net price is $30,902, meaning students typically pay considerably less than the sticker price.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$69,027
Tuition & Fees
$45,999
67%
Room & Board
$19,095
28%
Books & Supplies
$1,104
2%
Other Expenses
$2,829
4%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$27,359
$30,001 – $48,000
$25,950
$48,001 – $75,000
$28,687
$75,001 – $110,000
$31,057
Over $110,000
$37,092

* One or more income brackets show an unusually low net price, reflecting need-based aid that can reduce cost to near zero for families in that range.

Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
91%
Federal loans
46%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $246.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, DePaul University costs $30,902 a year — about 37% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$63,052
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
IL (116)
$26,978
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (77)
$28,414
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
90.7%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
IL (161)
86.7%
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (118)
86.2%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$23,168
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
IL (181)
$10,410
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (133)
$11,000
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$30,902
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
IL (184)
$14,898
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (137)
$17,028
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

DePaul University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
68.9%
Median Earnings 6yr
$54,695
6 years after entering

DePaul University has a graduation rate of 68.9%, with median earnings of $54,695 six years after entry and $68,751 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$58,159
Men
$52,529
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
62.8%
Pell recipients
70.3%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Cinematography and Film/Video Production269
Finance, General226
Psychology, General183
Marketing/Marketing Management, General181
Accounting173
Business Administration and Management,...151
Health Services/Allied Health/Health...137
Computer Programming/Programmer, General134
Political Science and Government, General92
Management Science89
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
74.1%
White
72.8%
Black
58.3%
Hispanic
57.1%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering DePaul University are $62,341, and 75% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former DePaul University students earn $54,695 — 20% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$68,751
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
IL (183)
$40,151
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (129)
$41,539
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$54,695
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
IL (191)
$34,215
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (140)
$33,807
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
68.9%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
IL (61)
58.8%
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (46)
58.8%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
86.1%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
IL (60)
75.6%
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (44)
75.6%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

DePaul University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

DePaul University is located in Chicago, a large city setting, with an undergraduate enrollment of 14,090 students. The student body includes 55.1% women, 30.2% first-generation students, and 31.8% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
44.5%
Asian
12.5%
Hispanic
24.9%
Black
7.8%
Other Indicators
First-generation
30.2%
Pell grant recipients
31.8%
Women
55.1%
DePaul University Athletics
Total Revenue
$9.8M
Total Expense
$9.8M
Athletes
336
156 men · 180 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$376,685
Women's sports
$184,116

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$2,772,615
Women's aid
$4,378,756
Academic Resources
858
Full-time faculty
$114,546
Avg faculty salary
8,645
FT staff
$1B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$123,465
Women (avg)
$104,662
Overall avg
$114,546
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
14,090
Graduate students
7,022
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
1.7%

232 of 13,339 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
7.1%
Undergrads taking any
54.9%
Grad students fully online
27.8%

1,026 of 14,374 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 1,940 of 6,974 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

DePaul University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median
Pell grant share
This school
31.8%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
IL (200)
38.9%
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (147)
43.4%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$7,324
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
IL (106)
$6,282
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (64)
$5,612
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
17:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
IL (199)
15:1
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI (148)
15:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at DePaul University
97 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
3,053 graduates
Business and Marketing 935 grads · 11 majors
Finance, General 226
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 181
Accounting 173
Business Administration and Management,... 151
Management Science 89
Management Information Systems, General 44
Business/Managerial Economics 34
Real Estate 11
Hospitality Administration/Management,... 10
Actuarial Science 9
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 7
Visual and Performing Arts 483 grads · 17 majors
Cinematography and Film/Video Production 269
Graphic Design 44
Acting 30
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and... 29
Art/Art Studies, General 27
Music Performance, General 18
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 15
Comedy Writing and Performance 9
Industrial and Product Design 8
Music Management 8
Jazz/Jazz Studies 6
Music, Other 5
Theatre Literature, History and Criticism 5
Fine and Studio Arts Management 3
Music, General 3
Music Theory and Composition 2
Playwriting and Screenwriting 2
Computer and Information Sciences 339 grads · 10 majors
Computer Programming/Programmer, General 134
Computer Software and Media Applications,... 50
Information Technology 45
Computer and Information Systems... 42
Computer Systems Networking and... 22
Information Science/Studies 18
Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and... 15
Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database... 10
Computer Programming, Specific Applications 2
Computer Science 1
Social Sciences 239 grads · 8 majors
Political Science and Government, General 92
Criminology 54
International Relations and Affairs 26
Sociology, General 24
Economics, General 19
Anthropology, General 13
Geography 6
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 5
Communication and Journalism 236 grads · 6 majors
Mass Communication/Media Studies 87
Public Relations, Advertising, and... 70
Journalism 31
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 23
Sports Communication 20
Organizational Communication, General 5
Psychology 183 grads · 1 major
Psychology, General 183
Health Professions 147 grads · 3 majors
Health Services/Allied Health/Health... 137
Health/Health Care Administration/Management 8
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 2
Education 91 grads · 10 majors
Elementary Education and Teaching 23
Early Childhood Education and Teaching 18
English/Language Arts Teacher Education 16
History Teacher Education 7
Music Teacher Education 7
Social Science Teacher Education 7
Special Education and Teaching, General 7
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 3
Spanish Language Teacher Education 2
Art Teacher Education 1
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 86 grads · 3 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 47
Neuroscience 36
Biochemistry 3
Communications Technologies 79 grads · 2 majors
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video... 72
Communications Technologies/Technicians... 7
English Language and Literature 54 grads · 2 majors
English Language and Literature, General 46
Rhetoric and Composition 8
Liberal Arts and General Studies 26 grads · 1 major
General Studies 26
History 25 grads · 1 major
History, General 25
Natural Resources and Conservation 25 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Studies 18
Environmental Science 7
Philosophy and Religious Studies 21 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 20
Religion/Religious Studies 1
Mathematics and Statistics 18 grads · 1 major
Mathematics, General 18
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 17 grads · 4 majors
Women's Studies 9
American/United States Studies/Civilization 5
Japanese Studies 2
Latin American Studies 1
Multidisciplinary Studies 13 grads · 2 majors
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 9
Mathematics and Computer Science 4
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 11 grads · 2 majors
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 10
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 1
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 10 grads · 3 majors
Spanish Language and Literature 7
German Language and Literature 2
Italian Language and Literature 1
Architecture 8 grads · 1 major
Architectural History and Criticism, General 8
Physical Sciences 5 grads · 3 majors
Physics, General 3
Astrophysics 1
Chemistry, General 1
Public Administration and Social Services 1 grads · 1 major
Public Policy Analysis, General 1
Engineering 1 grads · 1 major
Systems Engineering 1
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

DePaul University Location & Campus Safety

DePaul University is in Chicago, IL, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 4.1 miles from the center of Chicago. There are 31 other colleges within 25 miles, and Chicago, IL is 4.1 miles away.

DePaul University
Large city
Campus Setting
4.1 mi
To City Center
31
Colleges Within 25 mi
2,707,648
Chicago Population
Living in Chicago
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,380
Median Rent / mo
$75,134
Median Household Income
29%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
46%
Walk
5.7%
Public transit
19.3%

Cook County scores 13.6 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 4.9% of Chicago's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at DePaul University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures DePaul University reported for 2024.

14
On-Campus Offenses
6
In Residence Halls
0.7
Per 1,000 Students
12
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
23
2023
15
2024
14
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
5
Aggravated assault
5
Burglary
3
Robbery
1

Separately, DePaul University reported 109 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DePaul University admissions, costs, and outcomes.