DePaul University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Chicago, Illinois · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2023-2024
DePaul University is a private institution located in Chicago, Illinois with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, DePaul University admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 55%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1296 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,353 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether DePaul University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for DePaul University?
DePaul University admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does DePaul University weight in admissions?
DePaul University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2023-2024). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Interview
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores DePaul University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 610–720, with an EBRW midpoint near 640. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 25–31. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1190 |
| 50th percentile | 1300 |
| 75th percentile | 1400 |
| % submitting SAT | 45% |
| 25th percentile | 25 |
| 50th percentile | 28 |
| 75th percentile | 31 |
| % submitting ACT | 11% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 39% |
| Top 25% of class | 77% |
| Top 50% of class | 97% |
| % submitting class rank | 26% |
How much does DePaul University actually cost?
Published tuition is $51,763 for in-state students and $51,763 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,528 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $19,353 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 29% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $19,353 |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for DePaul University
| Regular deadline | 8/1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 or within 3 weeks if notified thereafter |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | 11/1 |
| ED acceptance rate | 68% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 11/15 |
Will my child graduate from DePaul University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Illinois parents ask about
- University of Chicago7% acceptance
- Northwestern University5% acceptance
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign44% acceptance
- University of Illinois Chicago70% acceptance
- Loyola University Chicago93% acceptance
- Illinois State University89% acceptance
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale90% acceptance
- Lake Forest College54% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like DePaul University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like DePaul University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about DePaul University
What GPA do I need for DePaul University?
DePaul University admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does DePaul University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 610–720, with an EBRW midpoint near 640. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 25–31.
How much does DePaul University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at DePaul University after grants and scholarships is $19,353 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is DePaul University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, DePaul University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2023-2024 Common Data Set submitted by DePaul University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.