University of Delaware
- Graduation Rate
- 80% B+
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $72,950 A
- Top 6% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $17,799 C
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 71% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 26.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $26.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $26.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,845,888.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 79% more than the national college median.
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A 80% graduation rate — 39% above the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $26.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.6%
- Top 39%
- Patents
- 141
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #159
- Times Higher Education
- Patent Citations
- 214
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 52/100
- Times Higher Education
Why University of Delaware Matters
University of Delaware is a public research university in Newark, DE ranked #159 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 6% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 19,071
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Engineering, Social Sciences
Why students choose University of Delaware
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 71% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1190–1370. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $17,799 a year after grants and scholarships — 4% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $72,950 ten years after enrolling — 79% above the typical college, against $24,572 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 84% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.74 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
The University of Delaware enrolls 19,071 students, making it a vibrant hub for undergraduate education. With a 71% acceptance rate, it welcomes a diverse student body, while its graduation rate stands at 80%. This combination suggests a supportive environment for students aiming to complete their degrees.
In terms of outcomes, graduates from the University of Delaware earn an average of $72,950 within ten years of completing their studies. This reflects the value of the education they receive, especially in key programs like Business, Health Professions, and Engineering. Although the Pell Grant rate is 16%, indicating some financial support for low-income students, the mobility rate is currently not available.
Financially, students face a net price of $17,799 after aid, and the median debt for graduates is $24,572. This suggests that while the cost of attendance is manageable, students should be mindful of debt. Those who thrive here are often engaged in practical programs that lead directly to strong career prospects, particularly in growing fields like health and engineering.
Rankings
- #16 Highest-Paying Colleges for Education
- #28 Best ROI Colleges for Education
- #35 Colleges With the Best Loan Repayment Rates
- #35 Best Colleges in Mid-Atlantic
- #35 Colleges With the Highest Mobility Rates
- #35 Best Success Rate for Low-Income Students
- #35 Most Accessible Elite Colleges
- #36 Best Public University MBA Programs
Can I Get In?
How selective University of Delaware 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 University of Delaware? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Newark, Delaware, University of Delaware admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 71%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,292. The graduation rate is roughly 80%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 71%
- Retention Rate
- 92%
- SAT Average
- 1292
- ACT Midpoint
- 29
- SAT Range
- 1190–1370
- ACT Range
- 28–32
- Full-Time Faculty
- 99%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $14,649
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.53
- First-Gen Students
- 17%
- Applicants
- 35,362
- Admitted
- 26,101
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of Delaware 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
- 19%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 3%
- of enrolled freshmen
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 22% 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 University of Delaware? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of Delaware is $41,400, 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 $17,799. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,901 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,572 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $16,810
- Out-of-State
- $41,400
- Avg Net Price
- $17,799
- Median Debt
- $24,572
- Pell Grant Rate
- 16%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 50%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $10,901
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $10,099
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,225
- Family Income $110K+
- $25,580
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 University of Delaware — 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 University of Delaware Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of Delaware earn a median of $72,950, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $58,846
- 8 Years
- $69,215
- 10 Years
- $72,950
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.34x
- Earning > $25K
- 81%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (3,039)
- 73%
- 100% (3,039)
- 73%
- 100% (3,039)
- 73%
- 100% (3,039)
- 73%
How University 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 University of Delaware Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, University of Delaware delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $17,799/year ($71,196 total). Graduates earn $72,950 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,917,084 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,845,888 (26.9× your investment). The median debt is $24,572, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 80% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $71,196
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,917,084
- Net Return
- $1,845,888
- ROI Multiple
- 26.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $17,799
- Median Debt
- $24,572
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 80%
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 University of Delaware Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of Delaware 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 0.87%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.2% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 39% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $131,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.87%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 39.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 2.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $178,527
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is University of Delaware? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places University of Delaware at #159 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 52/100, teaching at 38/100, and citation impact of 61/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
- World Rank
- #159
- Teaching
- 38.4
- Research
- 51.9
- Citations
- 61.3
- International
- 16.8
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
University of Delaware produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 141 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 52/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.59%
- Top 39% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 141
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 214
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 52/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 61/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 100/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.48%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-141,422,295
Top Programs
The fields University of Delaware 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 19% $79,729 early-career
- Health Professions 11% $81,626 early-career
- Engineering 8% $91,690 early-career
- Social Sciences 7% $59,684 early-career
- Education 7% $52,040 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 6% $54,000 early-career
- Communications 5% $48,266 early-career
- Humanities 5% $27,732 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 University of Delaware'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
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of Delaware? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Newark, Delaware, University of Delaware admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 71%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,292. The graduation rate is roughly 80%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Delaware? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of Delaware is $41,400, 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 $17,799. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,901 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,572 in federal student loans.
Is University of Delaware Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of Delaware earn a median of $72,950, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does University of Delaware Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of Delaware 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 0.87%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.2% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 39% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $131,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is University of Delaware? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Delaware. Its economic connectedness score is 1.74, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is University of Delaware? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places University of Delaware at #159 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 52/100, teaching at 38/100, and citation impact of 61/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does University of Delaware offer Early Decision?
No. University of Delaware does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is University of Delaware really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 22% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of Delaware (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to University of Delaware.
- University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA · Close peer75% grad $68,396 earn 66% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY · Close peer74% grad $70,814 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, VA · Close peer80% grad $69,954 earn 72% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY · Close peer77% grad $74,502 earn 49% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of California-RiversideRiverside, CA · Close peer76% grad $67,699 earn 76% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · Close peer83% grad $71,631 earn 60% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is University of Delaware? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Delaware. Its economic connectedness score is 1.74, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note