DePauw: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially DePauw University · Greencastle, Indiana · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2024-2025
- Test-optional
- Early Decision
- Early Decision II
- Early Action
- 6,683
- Applicants
- 3,822
- Admitted57%
- 505
- Enrolled
- 13%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Moderately selective57% admittedRanked #49 (tie) in National Liberal Arts Colleges; Computer Science #319 (tie), Economics #172 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by DePauw University, read on 2026-06-14.
Is DePauw a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places DePauw against it in about a minute. No account needed.
DePauw is a private nonprofit university in Greencastle, Indiana that admits about 57% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $22,264 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Economics, Communication and Media Studies and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 81% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 4.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
DePauw is a private institution located in Greencastle, Indiana with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, DePauw admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 57%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1250 and an ACT composite around 28. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,264 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for DePauw?
70% of enrolled students at DePauw had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.92, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
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What does DePauw weight in admissions?
DePauw reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
Important
3- Class rank
- Application essay
- Recommendations
Considered
9- Standardized test scores
- Interview
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
Not Considered
1- Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores DePauw typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 600–720, with an EBRW midpoint near 630. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–32. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1130 |
| 50th percentile | 1250 |
| 75th percentile | 1350 |
| % submitting SAT | 58% |
| 25th percentile | 25 |
| 50th percentile | 29 |
| 75th percentile | 31 |
| % submitting ACT | 18% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional; homeschooled applicants cannot apply test-optional.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on DePauw'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 | 44% |
| Top 25% of class | 78% |
| Top 50% of class | 97% |
| % submitting class rank | 31% |
How much does DePauw actually cost?
Published tuition is $59,070 for in-state students and $59,070 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $15,330 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $22,264 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 16% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $60,310 |
| Room and board | $15,790 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $22,264 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 89% |
| Average need-based grant | $49,430 |
| Average merit award, no financial need220 first-year students received one | $39,482 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 82% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $24,106 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for DePauw
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | December 15 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from DePauw?
These predict outcomes at DePauw better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at DePauw
The most popular undergraduate programs at DePauw, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Communication and Media Studies and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. Across all programs, DePauw confers roughly 290 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $97,814 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 61 | $97,814 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 50 | $64,923 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 42 | n/a |
| Computer Science | 41 | $107,140 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 27 | $68,130 |
| Psychology, General | 26 | $50,124 |
| Political Science and Government | 23 | $61,602 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 20 | $58,790 |
Is DePauw safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), DePauw disclosed 8 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 6 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at DePauw?
About 97% of undergraduates at DePauw live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 49% of men join a fraternity and 44% 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 Indiana parents ask about
Next steps for DePauw
Common questions parents ask about DePauw
What GPA do I need for DePauw?
70% of enrolled students at DePauw had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.92, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does DePauw typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 600–720, with an EBRW midpoint near 630. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–32.
How much does DePauw actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at DePauw after grants and scholarships is $22,264 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $59,070. Budget against the net figure.
Is DePauw realistic for my child?
DePauw admits 57% of applicants, so 600–720 SAT Math is target range and below 600 is a reach. Then check the $22,264 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at DePauw?
DePauw accepts about 57% of applicants out of roughly 6,683 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is DePauw test-optional?
Yes. DePauw 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; homeschooled applicants cannot apply test-optional.
What is the graduation rate at DePauw?
About 81% of students at DePauw graduate within six years, and 73% finish in four years. 90% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does DePauw look for in applicants?
DePauw rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is DePauw a public or private school, and where is it located?
DePauw is a private nonprofit institution located in Greencastle, Indiana.
What are the most popular majors at DePauw?
The largest undergraduate majors at DePauw by annual graduates are Economics, Communication and Media Studies and Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. The school awards about 290 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is DePauw safe? What is its campus crime rate?
DePauw reported 8 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 4.2 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 DePauw?
At DePauw, 97% of undergraduates live on campus, 49% of men are in fraternities, 44% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by DePauw University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers