Benedictine University
#3 Best Biology Colleges in Illinois- Graduation Rate
- 51% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $63,446 A-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $22,313 D+
- 30% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 95% D
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 19.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.2 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Best Biology Colleges in Illinois.
Every $1 spent returns $19.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,627,371.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduates earn 56% more than the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $19.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Benedictine University Matters
Benedictine University is a private university in Lisle, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 1,942
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology, Health Professions
Why students choose Benedictine University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 95% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $22,313 a year after grants and scholarships — 30% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $63,446 ten years after enrolling — 56% above the typical college, against $22,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 69% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.70 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Benedictine University has a 95% acceptance rate, making it an accessible option for many students. This high acceptance rate means that a wide range of applicants can find a place at the university, creating a diverse student body.
According to Opportunity Insights data, specific mobility metrics for Benedictine University are not available. However, the university's focus on programs like Business, Biology, and Health Professions suggests a commitment to preparing students for careers with potential for upward economic mobility.
The average net price for attending is $22,313, and graduates report earnings of around $63,446 within ten years of completing their degree. With median debt at $22,500, students here can expect a manageable financial commitment relative to their potential earnings. This environment is well-suited for students interested in practical programs with clear career pathways.
Rankings
- #3 Best Biology Colleges in Illinois
- #10 Best Online Business Programs in Illinois
- #10 Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois
- #10 Best Online Education Programs in Illinois
- #10 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Illinois
- #11 Best Business Colleges in Illinois
- #12 Best Psychology Colleges in Illinois
- #13 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois
Can I Get In?
How selective Benedictine University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Benedictine University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Benedictine University, located in Lisle, Illinois, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 24. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Retention Rate
- 66%
- ACT Midpoint
- 24
- Full-Time Faculty
- 35%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,516
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.75
- First-Gen Students
- 34%
- Applicants
- 2,746
- Admitted
- 2,557
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Benedictine University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 16% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.
- Yield Rate
- 16%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 5%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 2%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 7% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Benedictine University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Benedictine University is $35,940, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,313. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $20,168 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $22,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $35,940
- Out-of-State
- $35,940
- Avg Net Price
- $22,313
- Median Debt
- $22,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 39%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 46%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $20,168
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $17,869
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $18,628
- Family Income $110K+
- $27,454
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Benedictine University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Benedictine University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Benedictine University earn a median of $63,446, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $50,222
- 8 Years
- $57,984
- 10 Years
- $63,446
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.35x
- Earning > $25K
- 70%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (219)
- 33%
- 100% (219)
- 33%
- 100% (219)
- 33%
- 100% (219)
- 33%
How Benedictine Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Benedictine University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Benedictine University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,313/year ($89,252 total). Graduates earn $63,446 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,716,623 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,627,371 (19.2× your investment). The median debt is $22,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 51% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $89,252
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,716,623
- Net Return
- $1,627,371
- ROI Multiple
- 19.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $22,313
- Median Debt
- $22,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 51%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Benedictine University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Benedictine University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.11%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.9% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 37.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $104,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.11%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 37.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 2.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $141,979
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $1,327,260
Top Programs
The fields Benedictine University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 27% $74,862 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 20% $18,794 early-career
- Psychology 13% $35,271 early-career
- Health Professions 9% $82,829 early-career
- Social Sciences 8% $42,086 early-career
- Communications 4% $31,771 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 3%
- Education 3% $43,440 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Benedictine University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Optometrist$131,860 · 9% growthResilient 96
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Benedictine University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Benedictine University, located in Lisle, Illinois, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 95%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 24. The graduation rate is roughly 51%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Benedictine University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Benedictine University is $35,940, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,313. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $20,168 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $22,500 in federal student loans.
Is Benedictine University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Benedictine University earn a median of $63,446, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Benedictine University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Benedictine University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.11%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.9% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 37.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $104,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Benedictine University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Benedictine University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.70, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does Benedictine University offer Early Decision?
No. Benedictine University does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is Benedictine University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 7% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Benedictine University (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Benedictine University?
About 16% of admitted students choose to enroll at Benedictine University — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Benedictine University.
- University of Pittsburgh-JohnstownJohnstown, PA · Close peer55% grad $66,125 earn 95% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionMarion, IN · Close peer67% grad $59,986 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham CampusMadison, NJ · Close peer70% grad $57,273 earn 95% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- La Salle UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Close peer58% grad $67,416 earn 97% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Pennsylvania State University-Penn State BerksReading, PA · Close peer28% grad $63,435 earn 99% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- St. Mary's UniversitySan Antonio, TX · Close peer60% grad $56,955 earn 98% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Benedictine University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Benedictine University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.70, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note