University of Rochester: the complete school report for parents

What does University of Rochester actually weigh in admissions?

University of Rochester rates 4 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, extracurricular activities, personal qualities. It does not consider 2 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is University of Rochester's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

56% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.73 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.9% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

What is the University of Rochester waitlist really like?

University of Rochester offered a place on its waiting list to 1,197 applicants and 741 accepted one. 262 were ultimately admitted. That is 35.4% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

University of Rochester admitted 37.8% of 809 transfer applicants, against 41.9% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 3.

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

University of Rochester reports its early rounds below.

What will University of Rochester actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $29,278 a year at University of Rochester after grants and scholarships. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 97% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 260 merit awards averaging $16,073 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

41% of University of Rochester graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $30,785 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $223 a month in repayment. University of Rochester’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from University of Rochester pay off?

Graduates earn a median $79,042 ten years after entering, and $68,333 at six years. 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 80% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$119,738 to $34,412, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at University of Rochester:

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

Will my child actually graduate?

91% of first-years return for a second year. 83% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 77.3% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 86.7% of everyone else, a gap of 9.4 points.

How big are the classes?

70% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 2% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, and 95% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at University of Rochester like?

6,096 undergraduates, 55% of first-years from out of state. 98% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 71% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 8% of men join a fraternity and 11.2% of women a sorority. 19% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $76,108.

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
• 56% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.73. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 262 of 741 who waited were admitted, about 35%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $119,738 five years out against $34,412 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 University of Rochester

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