DePaul University
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Why DePaul University Matters
DePaul University is a private research university in Chicago, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 8% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 14,090
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts, Computer Science & IT, Social Sciences
Why students choose DePaul 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
Competitive — admits about 76% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1140–1330. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $30,902 a year after grants and scholarships — 80% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $68,751 ten years after enrolling — 69% above the typical college, against $23,168 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 13% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.77 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
DePaul University serves over 14,000 students in the heart of Chicago. With a graduation rate of 69%, students can expect a solid chance of completing their degrees. The school has an acceptance rate of 76%, making it accessible to a wide range of applicants.
According to Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, while specific mobility rates and economic connectedness for DePaul are not available, the earnings potential is promising. Graduates see a median income of $68,751 ten years after enrollment. This level of earnings suggests that students can find solid career pathways after graduation.
The cost of attendance is around $30,902, with a median debt of $23,168 for graduates. Students who thrive at DePaul often pursue programs in Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts, and Computer Science & IT. The university's urban setting allows for numerous internship and job opportunities, enhancing the overall student experience.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective DePaul 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 DePaul University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Chicago, Illinois, DePaul University keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 76% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,262. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 69%.
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 DePaul University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending DePaul University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $45,999 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $30,902 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $27,359 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $23,168.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is DePaul University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of DePaul University earn a median of $68,751, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How DePaul 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%?
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 DePaul University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
DePaul University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 2.86%, among the highest in the country. About 6.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 43% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $99,900, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
DePaul University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 59 patents tied to its graduates.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields DePaul University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for DePaul University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into DePaul University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Chicago, Illinois, DePaul University keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 76% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,262. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 69%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend DePaul University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending DePaul University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $45,999 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $30,902 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $27,359 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $23,168.
Is DePaul University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of DePaul University earn a median of $68,751, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Does DePaul University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
DePaul University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 2.86%, among the highest in the country. About 6.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 43% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $99,900, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is DePaul 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 DePaul University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.77 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to DePaul University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is DePaul 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 DePaul University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.77 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.