Gallaudet University
- Graduation Rate
- 47% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,101 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $15,845 C+
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 58% B
- Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 16.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.6 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $16.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $988,166.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $16.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Gallaudet University Matters
Gallaudet University is a private doctoral / professional university in Washington, DC and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Doctoral / Professional University
- Carnegie Class
- Doctoral/Professional
- Enrollment
- 812
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Psychology, Social Sciences, Visual & Performing Arts
Why students choose Gallaudet 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 58% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 780–1022. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $15,845 a year after grants and scholarships — 8% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,101 ten years after enrolling — 6% above the typical college, against $18,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 95% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.51 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Gallaudet University enrolls 812 students, making it a focused environment for learning and growth. The acceptance rate stands at 58%, offering a balanced opportunity for prospective students to join a tight-knit community. This university is dedicated to serving the deaf and hard of hearing population, which shapes its unique academic and social experience.
Graduates from Gallaudet earn an average of $43,101 ten years after enrolling. While the graduation rate is 47%, the university emphasizes support systems tailored to its student body. Many graduates find meaningful employment in fields such as business, psychology, visual and performing arts, communications, and computer science, reflecting the diverse interests of its students.
The net price of attending Gallaudet is $15,845, with median student debt at $18,000. Approximately 58% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating significant financial need among the student population. Students who thrive here often share a passion for community and culture, seeking an inclusive environment that values their unique experiences.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Gallaudet 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 Gallaudet University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Washington, District of Columbia, Gallaudet University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 58% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 868. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Retention Rate
- 71%
- SAT Average
- 868
- ACT Midpoint
- 17
- SAT Range
- 780–1022
- ACT Range
- 14–17
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,939
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 6:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.73
- First-Gen Students
- 34%
- Applicants
- 380
- Admitted
- 225
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 Gallaudet University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Gallaudet University is $19,654, 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 $15,845. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,129 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $19,654
- Out-of-State
- $19,654
- Avg Net Price
- $15,845
- Median Debt
- $18,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 58%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 38%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $14,129
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $15,238
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $14,236
- Family Income $110K+
- $18,318
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 Gallaudet 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 Gallaudet University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gallaudet University report median earnings of $43,101, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,578
- 8 Years
- $39,294
- 10 Years
- $43,101
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.42x
- Earning > $25K
- 48%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (34)
- 19%
- 100% (34)
- 19%
- 100% (34)
- 19%
- 100% (34)
- 19%
How Gallaudet 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 Gallaudet University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Gallaudet University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $15,845/year ($63,380 total). Graduates earn $43,101 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,051,546 in total earnings — a net gain of $988,166 (16.6× your investment). The median debt is $18,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 47% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $63,380
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,051,546
- Net Return
- $988,166
- ROI Multiple
- 16.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $15,845
- Median Debt
- $18,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 47%
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 Gallaudet University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gallaudet 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 0.57%, a more modest figure. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $71,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.57%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 4.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 13.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $96,736
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $9,352,225
- Investment Income
- $-29,120,869
Top Programs
The fields Gallaudet 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 13% $48,945 early-career
- Psychology 12%
- Social Sciences 7%
- Visual & Performing Arts 7%
- Biology & Biomedical 5% $29,935 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 5%
- Communications 4% $29,844 early-career
- Health Professions 2%
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 Gallaudet 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
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Gallaudet University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Washington, District of Columbia, Gallaudet University offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 58% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 868. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Gallaudet University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Gallaudet University is $19,654, 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 $15,845. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,129 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,000 in federal student loans.
Is Gallaudet University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gallaudet University report median earnings of $43,101, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Gallaudet University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gallaudet 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 0.57%, a more modest figure. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 4.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $71,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Gallaudet 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 Gallaudet University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 14% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Gallaudet University.
- University of the OzarksClarksville, AR · Close peer52% grad $44,384 earn 60% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Bethany CollegeBethany, WV · Close peer47% grad $44,512 earn 59% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Lyon CollegeBatesville, AR · Close peer51% grad $44,232 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Union Commonwealth UniversityBarbourville, KY · Close peer34% grad $42,002 earn 63% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Brevard CollegeBrevard, NC · Close peer44% grad $43,545 earn 42% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Greensboro CollegeGreensboro, NC · Close peer43% grad $46,566 earn 70% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Gallaudet 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 Gallaudet University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 14% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note