UConn: the complete school report for parents

What does UConn actually weigh in admissions?

UConn rates none of the 18 factors "Very Important". It does not consider 3 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is UConn's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What is the UConn waitlist really like?

UConn offered a place on its waiting list to 4,365 applicants and 1,158 accepted one. 85 were ultimately admitted. That is 7.3% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

UConn admitted 67.7% of 2,496 transfer applicants, against 54.4% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

UConn reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

UConn requires 16 academic units. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will UConn actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $25,097 a year at UConn after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $17,010. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 63.1% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,251 merit awards averaging $11,221 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

What families at each income level actually paid:

53% of UConn graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $30,427 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $228 a month in repayment. UConn’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from UConn pay off?

Graduates earn a median $73,997 ten years after entering, and $63,322 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 78% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$139,585 to $29,845, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at UConn:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

92% of first-years return for a second year. 73% graduate within four years and 84% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 76.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 86.0% of everyone else, a gap of 10.0 points.

How big are the classes?

41% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 10% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1, and 70% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 10% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at UConn like?

21,042 undergraduates, 44% of first-years from out of state. 96% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 64% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 15% of men join a fraternity and 19% of women a sorority. 27% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $80,999.

What this means for your student

• The waitlist is live but thin: 85 of 1,158 who waited were admitted, about 7%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $139,585 five years out against $29,845 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about UConn

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