DePaul: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially DePaul University · Chicago, Illinois · Private nonprofit · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2024-2025
- Test-optional
- Early Action
- 31,266
- Applicants
- 23,729
- Admitted76%
- 2,566
- Enrolled
- 11%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Open access76% admittedRanked #169 (tie) in National Universities; Business Programs #101 (tie), Computer Science #173 (tie), Economics #185 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by DePaul University (see the source), read on 2026-06-14.
Is DePaul a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places DePaul against it in about a minute. No account needed.
DePaul is a private nonprofit university in Chicago, Illinois that admits about 76% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $30,902 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Finance and Financial Management Services, Marketing and Film/Video and Photographic Arts, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 68% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 6.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
DePaul is a private institution located in Chicago, Illinois. For the most recent reporting cycle, DePaul admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 76%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT around 1200. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $30,902 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for DePaul?
57% of enrolled students at DePaul had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.78, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
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What does DePaul weight in admissions?
DePaul reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
Very Important
3- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
- Standardized test scores
Important
8- Class rank
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
Considered
7- Application essay
- Interview
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores DePaul typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–660. 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 | 1090 |
| 50th percentile | 1200 |
| 75th percentile | 1300 |
| % submitting SAT | 41.7% |
| 25th percentile | 24 |
| 50th percentile | 27 |
| 75th percentile | 30 |
| % submitting ACT | 14.15% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test optional since 2012 (permanent). Scores ignored if you choose test-optional. DePaul says NCAA Division I recruits and homeschooled applicants must submit scores.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on DePaul's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
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 | 23.17% |
| Top 25% of class | 55.31% |
| Top 50% of class | 85.24% |
| % submitting class rank | 28.25% |
How much does DePaul actually cost?
Published tuition is $45,999 for in-state students and $45,999 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $19,095 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $30,902 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 32% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $45,195 |
| Required fees | $954 |
| Room and board | $19,095 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $30,902 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 73% |
| Average need-based grant | $31,143 |
| Average merit award, no financial need712 first-year students received one | $20,876 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 58% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $28,977 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for DePaul
| Regular deadline | February 1 |
| Notification date | March 15 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 15 |
Will my child graduate from DePaul?
These predict outcomes at DePaul better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at DePaul
The most popular undergraduate programs at DePaul, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Finance and Financial Management Services, Marketing and Film/Video and Photographic Arts. Across all programs, DePaul confers roughly 1,398 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Finance and Financial Management Services program report a median income of about $91,702 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 247 | $91,702 |
| Marketing | 177 | $78,633 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 176 | $49,205 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 172 | $92,255 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 168 | $68,064 |
| Psychology, General | 166 | $53,943 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 154 | $70,634 |
| Computer Programming | 138 | $96,002 |
Is DePaul safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), DePaul disclosed 88 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 6.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 37 violent offenses and 8 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at DePaul?
About 14% of undergraduates at DePaul live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 6% of men join a fraternity and 10% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Illinois parents ask about
- Loyola University Chicago82% acceptance
- Illinois State University88% acceptance
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale87% acceptance
- Lake Forest College57% acceptance
- Knox College71% acceptance
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago77% acceptance
- Bradley University77% acceptance
- Augustana College63% acceptance
Next steps for DePaul
Common questions parents ask about DePaul
What GPA do I need for DePaul?
57% of enrolled students at DePaul had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.78, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does DePaul typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–660. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 25–31.
How much does DePaul actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at DePaul after grants and scholarships is $30,902 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $45,999. Budget against the net figure.
Is DePaul realistic for my child?
DePaul admits 76% of applicants, so 560–660 SAT Math is target range and below 560 is a reach. Then check the $30,902 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at DePaul?
DePaul accepts about 76% of applicants out of roughly 31,266 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is DePaul test-optional?
Yes. DePaul is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered. Test optional since 2012 (permanent). Scores ignored if you choose test-optional. DePaul says NCAA Division I recruits and homeschooled applicants must submit scores.
What is the graduation rate at DePaul?
About 68% of students at DePaul graduate within six years, and 55% finish in four years. 86% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does DePaul look for in applicants?
DePaul rates course rigor, GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is DePaul a public or private school, and where is it located?
DePaul is a private nonprofit institution located in Chicago, Illinois.
What are the most popular majors at DePaul?
The largest undergraduate majors at DePaul by annual graduates are Finance and Financial Management Services, Marketing and Film/Video and Photographic Arts. The school awards about 1,398 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is DePaul safe? What is its campus crime rate?
DePaul reported 88 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 6.3 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at DePaul?
At DePaul, 14% of undergraduates live on campus, 6% of men are in fraternities, 10% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by DePaul University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers