10-yr median earnings
$68,751
Federal aid recipients only
Private Nonprofit · Chicago, Illinois
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private nonprofit institution in Chicago, Illinois. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.
- $68,751
- 10-yr median earnings
- 75.9%
- Acceptance rate
- $30,902
- Avg net price / yr
- 68.9%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
DePaul University pairs top-10% former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 8%
- former-student earnings, US
- 75.9%
- acceptance rate
- 68.9%
- 150%-time completion
- +26%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: R2
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this DePaul University profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C
College Value Score
57/100
DePaul University
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings A+
$68,751
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$30,902
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate B-
68.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$23,168
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B+
72.9%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention B+
85.5%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$30,902
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
68.9%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 68.9%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - DePaul University vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How DePaul University ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
DePaul University: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$68,751 Top 8% higher than 92% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | DePaul University | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $68,751 | #413 of 5103 | 92nd |
| Average net price | $30,902 | #4555 of 5020 | 9th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 68.9% | #1498 of 4858 | 69th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 14,090 | #223 of 5462 | 96th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
14,090
Undergraduate enrollment
75.9%
Acceptance rate
1,262
SAT average
68.9%
150%-time completion
$68,751
10-yr median earnings
85.5%
First-year retention
How DePaul University ranks in Illinois
State rank among 189 reporting Illinois colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | DePaul University | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $68,751 | #15 of 189 | 92nd |
| Average net price | $30,902 | #174 of 179 | 3rd (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 68.9% | #43 of 171 | 75th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 14,090 | #6 of 201 | 97th |
Highest former-student earnings in Illinois
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University-Illinois | $92,405 | $31,837 |
| 2 | University of Chicago | $91,885 | $14,860 |
| 3 | Northwestern University | $89,363 | $29,167 |
| 4 | St. John's College | $86,331 | - |
| 5 | Lakeview College of Nursing | $84,522 | - |
| 6 | Illinois Institute of Technology | $82,592 | $18,425 |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $81,054 | $14,355 |
| 8 | Saint Anthony College of Nursing | $77,709 | - |
| 9 | Rush University | $75,194 | - |
| 10 | Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing | $72,850 | - |
| 11 | Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | $72,430 | - |
| 12 | Loyola University Chicago | $71,530 | $36,079 |
| 15 | DePaul UniversityThis school | $68,751 | $30,902 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 75.9% |
| SAT Average | 1,262 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 560 – 660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580 – 670 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 25 – 31 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at DePaul University
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$27,359 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$25,950 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$28,687 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$37,092 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at DePaul University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $45,999 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $45,999 |
| Average Net Price | $30,902 |
31.8%
Pell Grant Rate
45.9%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,168
Median Debt
$246/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at DePaul University swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $27,040 to $31,174 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +7.8%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$27,040
Highest year
$31,174
Most recent (2023)
$29,141
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $27,0402023 · $29,141
Over the same years, enrollment went -11.4% (16,120 → 14,283 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
55.0%
Female
30.2%
First Generation
Outcomes
85.5%
Retention Rate
$54,695
Median Earnings (6yr)
75.4%
Earning Over $25K
72.9%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 68.9% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 85.5% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $54,695 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $68,751 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 75.4% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 72.9% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $23,168 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $246/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 50 | 2,957 | $68,400 | $113,645 | $24,121 |
| Master's | 45 | 2,235 | $91,285 | $158,667 | $51,902 |
| Doctoral | 2 | 14 | $151,803 | $187,364 | $98,328 |
| First Professional | 1 | 186 | $107,264 | $107,264 | $131,463 |
| Certificate | 1 | 0 | $76,354 | $76,354 | $23,412 |
| Graduate Certificate | 1 | 9 | - | - | - |
Top programs at DePaul University by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$187,364 median earnings
- Computer Software and Medi…
Computer Software and Media Applications
$158,667 median earnings
- Computer Programming
Computer Programming
$158,509 median earnings
- Real Estate
Real Estate
$152,694 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$144,859 median earnings
- Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering
$134,449 median earnings
- Taxation
Taxation
$129,565 median earnings
- Computer/Information Techn…
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
$124,777 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral | - | $187,364 | $98,328 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's | 123 | $158,667 | $47,832 |
| Computer Programming | Master's | 139 | $158,509 | $61,500 |
| Real Estate | Master's | 9 | $152,694 | - |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's | 448 | $144,859 | $52,402 |
| Computer Engineering | Master's | 31 | $134,449 | - |
| Taxation | Master's | 30 | $129,565 | $47,833 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Master's | 60 | $124,777 | $55,664 |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's | 67 | $121,391 | $54,516 |
| Human Computer Interaction | Master's | 81 | $118,027 | $57,686 |
| Economics | Master's | 19 | $117,154 | $25,705 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Doctoral | 14 | $116,242 | - |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Bachelor's | 45 | $113,645 | $25,000 |
| Law | First Professional | 186 | $107,264 | $131,463 |
| Marketing | Master's | 46 | $105,355 | $58,541 |
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Private Nonprofit institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Private Nonprofit institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at DePaul University? ▼
DePaul University is a private nonprofit institution in Chicago, Illinois. The acceptance rate is 75.9%. The average SAT score is 1,262. Undergraduate enrollment is 14,090 students.
How much do DePaul University former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at DePaul University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $68,751 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $54,695.
How much does DePaul University cost? ▼
The average net price at DePaul University is $30,902. In-state tuition is $45,999 and out-of-state tuition is $45,999. Median student debt at graduation is $23,168.
What is the graduation rate at DePaul University? ▼
DePaul University has a 68.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 85.5%.
Is DePaul University worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at DePaul University is $23,168, while former students earn a median of $68,751 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 34% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 72.9% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $246.
Sources & methodology
Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.
Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from DePaul University
- Compare DePaul University against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Illinois side by side.Browse Illinois
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.