Denison University
#1 Best Communications Colleges in Ohio- Graduation Rate
- 79% B+
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $67,753 A
- Top 9% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $40,007 F
- 133% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 17% A
- Admits roughly 17% — highly selective
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 12.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.3 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Communications Colleges in Ohio.
Every $1 spent returns $12.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,806,001.
What The Data Says
-
A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
-
Graduates earn 66% more than the national college median.
-
A 79% graduation rate — 39% above the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $12.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.6%
- Top 41%
- Patents
- 12
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 40
- Downstream influence
Why Denison University Matters
Denison University is a private liberal arts college in Granville, OH and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by selective admissions and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 9% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Communications, Biology & Biomedical, Psychology
Why students choose Denison 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
Highly selective — admits about 17% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1320–1490. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $40,007 a year after grants and scholarships — 133% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $67,753 ten years after enrolling — 66% above the typical college, against $26,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 80% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.79 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 17%, Denison University attracts motivated students looking to engage deeply with their education. It’s a place where social sciences, communications, biology, business, and psychology are at the forefront of academic life. Students here appreciate the intimate learning environment that encourages critical thinking and collaboration, making it a great fit for those who thrive in small classes and value close faculty relationships.
Graduates of Denison can expect a solid return on their investment. With an average earnings figure of $67,753 just ten years after graduation, many find themselves well-positioned in their careers. The university's supportive atmosphere helps students navigate their paths effectively, which is particularly vital in today’s job market where mobility can make a big difference. While the Pell Grant rate stands at 13%, it underscores the institution's commitment to offering opportunities for students from diverse economic backgrounds, even if we don’t have specific mobility data.
When it comes to the financials, the net price at Denison sits at around $40,007 after aid, which requires careful consideration. The median debt for graduates is $26,000, an amount that is manageable for many when weighed against potential earnings. Students who thrive here often embrace the vibrant campus life and a culture of intellectual curiosity, making the most of their college experience while preparing for future success.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Denison 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 Denison University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Granville, Ohio, Denison University sets a competitive bar: about 17% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,410. The graduation rate is roughly 79%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 17%
- Retention Rate
- 89%
- SAT Average
- 1410
- ACT Midpoint
- 30
- SAT Range
- 1320–1490
- ACT Range
- 30–33
- Full-Time Faculty
- 95%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,237
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.59
- First-Gen Students
- 17%
- Applicants
- 12,220
- Admitted
- 2,684
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Denison 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.
- Submitted SAT
- 29%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 22%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 51% 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 Denison University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Denison University is $67,000, 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 $40,007. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,656 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $67,000
- Out-of-State
- $67,000
- Avg Net Price
- $40,007
- Median Debt
- $26,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 13%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 51%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $16,656
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $13,086
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,827
- Family Income $110K+
- $48,472
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 Denison 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 Denison University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Denison University earn a median of $67,753, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $51,352
- 8 Years
- $58,826
- 10 Years
- $67,753
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.38x
- Earning > $25K
- 74%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (470)
- 77%
- 100% (470)
- 77%
- 100% (470)
- 77%
- 100% (470)
- 77%
How Denison 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 Denison University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Denison University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $40,007/year ($160,028 total). Graduates earn $67,753 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,966,029 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,806,001 (12.3× your investment). The median debt is $26,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 79% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $160,028
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,966,029
- Net Return
- $1,806,001
- ROI Multiple
- 12.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $40,007
- Median Debt
- $26,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 79%
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 Denison University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Denison 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 0.94%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 3.1% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 30.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $149,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.94%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 30.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 3.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $202,846
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Denison University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 12 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.56%
- Top 41% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 12
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 40
- Downstream influence
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $4,052,000
- Investment Income
- $-154,460,000
Top Programs
The fields Denison 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.
- Social Sciences 21% $59,931 early-career
- Communications 10% $42,934 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 9% $29,935 early-career
- Psychology 8% $38,698 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 6% $27,098 early-career
- Business & Marketing 6%
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Physical Sciences 5%
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 Denison 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
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Denison University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Granville, Ohio, Denison University sets a competitive bar: about 17% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,410. The graduation rate is roughly 79%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Denison University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Denison University is $67,000, 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 $40,007. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $16,656 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.
Is Denison University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Denison University earn a median of $67,753, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Denison University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Denison 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 0.94%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 3.1% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 30.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $149,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Denison 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 Denison University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does Denison University offer Early Decision?
No. Denison University does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is Denison University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 51% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Denison University (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Denison University.
- Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY · Close peer90% grad $71,366 earn 19% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Colorado CollegeColorado Springs, CO · Close peer87% grad $65,222 earn 18% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, RI · Close peer89% grad $68,140 earn 19% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY · Close peer82% grad $69,363 earn 21% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Dickinson CollegeCarlisle, PA · Close peer82% grad $70,204 earn 42% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Furman UniversityGreenville, SC · Close peer80% grad $68,635 earn 43% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Denison 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 Denison University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note