Private Nonprofit · Dubuque, Iowa

University of Dubuque

University of Dubuque is a private nonprofit institution in Dubuque, Iowa. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$51,190
10-yr median earnings
88.6%
Acceptance rate
$23,386
Avg net price / yr
40.6%
150%-time completion

The verdict

University of Dubuque pairs above-median former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 27%
former-student earnings, US
88.6%
acceptance rate
40.6%
150%-time completion
+14%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small Carnegie: Master's (M)
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this University of Dubuque 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 ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs"), 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

D
College Value Score
43/100
University of Dubuque

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 B
$51,190
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$23,386
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
40.6%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$25,750
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B+
73.8%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention C-
76.6%
First-year students returning for year two
University of Dubuque vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$51,190

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$23,386

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

40.6%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 40.6%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - University of Dubuque vs peers

University of Dubuque positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. University of Dubuque positioned by earnings… Carnegie Classification: Master's (M) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $42K $63K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $16K $35K Avg Net Price ($) University of Dubuque (you are here): $51K earn · $23K net · 41% grad You are here - University of Dubu… Wartburg College: $56K earn · $33K net · 66% grad Wartburg College Grand View University: $53K earn · $22K net · 55% grad Grand View Univers… Luther College: $60K earn · $23K net · 73% grad Luther College Buena Vista University: $49K earn · $19K net · 54% grad Buena Vista Univer… William Penn University: $49K earn · $23K net · 31% grad William Penn Unive… Dordt University: $53K earn · $26K net · 68% grad Clarke University: $55K earn · $24K net · 56% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

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 University of Dubuque 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.

University of Dubuque: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$51,190 Top 27% higher than 73% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

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 University of Dubuque National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $51,190 #1388 of 5103 73rd
Average net price $23,386 #3705 of 5020 26th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 40.6% #3622 of 4858 25th
Undergraduate enrollment 1,440 #1808 of 5462 67th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

1,440
Undergraduate enrollment
88.6%
Acceptance rate
1,110
SAT average
40.6%
150%-time completion
$51,190
10-yr median earnings
76.6%
First-year retention

How University of Dubuque ranks in Iowa

State rank among 69 reporting Iowa colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric University of Dubuque State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $51,190 #25 of 69 64th
Average net price $23,386 #56 of 68 18th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 40.6% #50 of 63 21st
Undergraduate enrollment 1,440 #22 of 73 70th

Highest former-student earnings in Iowa

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Drake University$71,901$29,127
2Allen College$71,261-
3University of Iowa$64,762$22,531
4Iowa State University$63,386$18,589
5Grinnell College$62,830$17,648
6Mercy College of Health Sciences$62,234$26,924
7St Luke's College$61,033$19,820
8Mount Mercy University$60,787$20,168
9Luther College$59,850$23,097
10Saint Ambrose University$59,531$24,691
11Palmer College of Chiropractic$59,483-
12Simpson College$59,274$21,936
25University of DubuqueThis school$51,190$23,386

Admissions

Admission Rate 88.6%
SAT Average 1,110
SAT Math (25th-75th) 490 – 610
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 490 – 610
ACT (25th-75th) 18 – 24
0%100%88.6%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at University of Dubuque

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at University of Dubuque - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $42,095
Out-of-State Tuition $42,095
Average Net Price $23,386
39.8%
Pell Grant Rate
70.2%
Federal Loan Rate
$25,750
Median Debt
$273/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at University of Dubuque swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $19,474 to $27,592 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +19.4%, 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
$19,474
Highest year
$27,592
Most recent (2023)
$23,250
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $19,4742014: $22,1432015: $22,0062016: $21,6232017: $23,2312018: $23,7592019: $26,7482020: $27,5922021: $26,8002022: $21,5602023: $23,250
2013 · $19,4742023 · $23,250

Over the same years, enrollment went -12.7% (1,687 → 1,473 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

42.5%
Female
36.1%
First Generation

Outcomes

76.6%
Retention Rate
$44,960
Median Earnings (6yr)
67.6%
Earning Over $25K
73.8%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 40.6%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 76.6%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $44,960
Median earnings 10 years after entry $51,190
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 67.6%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 73.8%
Median federal student debt At completion $25,750
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $273/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 17 345 $57,683 $86,081 $25,375
Master's 3 156 $94,026 $135,262 $58,056

Top programs at University of Dubuque by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

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.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Master's 25 $135,262 $102,750
Air Transportation Bachelor's 73 $86,081 $25,375
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 107 $80,776 $13,362
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 18 $73,710 $27,617
Theological and Ministerial Studies Master's 24 $66,039 -
Human Resources Management and Services Bachelor's 17 $64,648 $26,898
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs Bachelor's 12 $63,655 -
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 17 $63,082 $27,000
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 68 $62,918 $22,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Bachelor's 10 $53,514 -
Marketing Bachelor's 11 $53,011 $21,000
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 28 $52,578 $27,000
Sociology Bachelor's 4 $51,512 -
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 9 $48,537 -
Computer Software and Media Applications Bachelor's 7 $46,296 -

Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of Dubuque?
University of Dubuque is a private nonprofit institution in Dubuque, Iowa. The acceptance rate is 88.6%. The average SAT score is 1,110. Undergraduate enrollment is 1,440 students.
How much do University of Dubuque former students earn?
Federally aided former students at University of Dubuque who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $51,190 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $44,960.
How much does University of Dubuque cost?
The average net price at University of Dubuque is $23,386. In-state tuition is $42,095 and out-of-state tuition is $42,095. Median student debt at graduation is $25,750.
What is the graduation rate at University of Dubuque?
University of Dubuque has a 40.6% 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 76.6%.
Is University of Dubuque worth the student debt?
The median student debt at University of Dubuque is $25,750, while former students earn a median of $51,190 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 50% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 73.8% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $273.

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.

Where to go next from University of Dubuque

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.