Roosevelt University
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Why Roosevelt University Matters
Roosevelt University is a private doctoral / professional university in Chicago, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. 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 Doctoral / Professional University
- Carnegie Class
- Doctoral/Professional
- Enrollment
- 2,849
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Visual & Performing Arts, Education
Why students choose Roosevelt 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 97% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 895–1175. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $20,194 a year after grants and scholarships — 18% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $48,712 ten years after enrolling — 19% above the typical college, against $22,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.2% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 9% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.71 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Nearly 3,000 students choose Roosevelt University for its accessible acceptance rate of 97%. This means that nearly all applicants have the opportunity to enroll and pursue their educational goals in the heart of Chicago.
The 10-year earnings for graduates average $48,712, which suggests a moderate return on investment for a degree from this institution. The Pell Grant rate is 51%, indicating that over half of the students here rely on federal aid, often reflecting a diverse student body with varying economic backgrounds. However, with a graduation rate of just 38%, students may want to consider the support systems in place to help them complete their degrees.
The net price to attend Roosevelt University stands at $20,194, while the median debt for graduates is $22,000. Students who thrive here typically come from various economic backgrounds and are looking for programs in business, health, education, or the arts. Understanding the financial commitment and potential earnings can help students make informed decisions about their future at Roosevelt.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Roosevelt University keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 97% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,011. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 38%.
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 Roosevelt University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Roosevelt University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $21,315 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 $20,194 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,018 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $22,000.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Roosevelt University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Roosevelt University earn a median of $48,712, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Roosevelt University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $20,194/year ($80,776 total). Graduates earn $48,712 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,130,065 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,049,289 (14.0× your investment). The median debt is $22,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 38% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
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 Roosevelt University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Roosevelt 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 3.18%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here: roughly 14.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a genuine foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 22.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $73,500, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Roosevelt University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Roosevelt University keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 97% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,011. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 38%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Roosevelt University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Roosevelt University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $21,315 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 $20,194 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,018 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $22,000.
Is Roosevelt University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Roosevelt University earn a median of $48,712, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Does Roosevelt University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Roosevelt 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 3.18%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here: roughly 14.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a genuine foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 22.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $73,500, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.71 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.02), 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 Roosevelt University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.71 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.02), 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.
Research Note