Barry University Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

I am not going to sell you this school or write it off. I am going to explain what the official IPEDS data—the reporting system that the United States Department of Education requires of every institution that receives federal aid—say about it. In the end, you decide what to do with that information, because it is yours, together with what your child wants to study and what your family can afford.

What kind of school Barry University is

Barry University is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution. It is in Miami, within Miami-Dade County, in an area the census classifies as suburban: within the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan area, but not in the city center. If your child plans to live at home and commute every day, it is worth driving that route yourself one weekday, at the exact time of their classes. A map never tells you how long traffic really takes.

The Carnegie system, which classifies the country’s universities by what they do, places Barry among institutions that offer doctoral and professional programs. It is a medium-sized, primarily residential school: in the latest available reporting period, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing. That same system also places it among schools that enroll many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying at another university or a community college, ask in writing, before enrolling, which courses will count and which will not. That “enrolls many transfer students” label does not tell you how many credits people bring with them or how many they lose along the way.

IPEDS reports the doctorate as the highest level the institution offers and classifies it within the group of schools that award mainly bachelor’s degrees or higher levels. That is a general institutional fact. It does not tell you whether the specific program your child is interested in exists here, or whether there is a clear path between undergraduate and graduate study in that area. Ask that directly, by program name.

An important note about identity: Barry University is not registered as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. This says nothing about which communities it serves well or poorly, or how your child will feel on that campus. You find that out by talking with current students and reviewing what organizations and cultural centers exist today, not in a government checkbox.

The real size and who makes up the classroom

Here is a number many families overlook: Barry University had 6,836 enrolled students in the most recent official count. But that number can mislead if you do not break it down. Of those 6,836, only 3,150 are undergraduates; the other 3,686 are graduate students. At this school, graduate education carries more weight than undergraduate education. If your child is entering to pursue their degree, the number that matters to them is not 6,836. It is 3,150.

Within that undergraduate population, there is a fact worth underscoring: 34 out of every 100 students are Hispanic or Latino. That is one out of every three. And compared with the 941 selective private four-year schools that reported this figure, Barry ranks among those reporting it most highly: nine out of ten of those schools report an equal or lower proportion. Put simply: being Latino on this campus would not be the exception.

But here is the hard truth that goes with that positive fact, because a high percentage of Latino students is not the same thing as real support for Latino students. The data count how many there are. They do not say whether there is a counselor who speaks Spanish, whether targeted tutoring exists, or whether those students actually finish their degrees. And it is the percentage for the entire school, not for your child’s specific program. Counting is not the same as serving.

Two other facts about the student community: there are more women than men in undergraduate study, with 60 out of every 100 being women; and adults ages 25 to 64 are few, only 12 out of every 100. If your child, or you yourself, planned to return to school as an adult, this is not a campus where that is common.

How the academic year works and which prior credits count

Barry organizes the year in semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each, with fixed dates for everyone. That matters because some schools have more flexible or quarter-based calendars; this one does not.

The institution stated that it accepts credit for AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”: learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, or military or professional experience. It also enrolls high school students in credit-bearing university courses through a formal dual-enrollment program and reports accepting credit for military training.

Now the truth you cannot skip: a school stating that it accepts AP does not mean it will award credit for every exam your child takes. This information does not tell us the scores it requires, how many credits it awards, or whether those credits count toward the specific program of interest. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not calculate time or money savings until you have that evaluation in hand.

What can be studied here

In the most recently reported year, Barry awarded 571 bachelor’s degrees, distributed across 22 program families, which the government calls CIP families. The family awarding the most degrees was health professions, with 27 out of every 100 degrees that year. No other field comes close, but it does not account for a majority either: no family accounted for 30 out of every 100 degrees. It is a distributed offering, not a school with one dominant specialty.

Compared with 942 similar schools, Barry ranks in the top quarter for the number of program families present in its bachelor’s-degree detail. That sounds like variety, and it probably is, but be careful: a row in that report may show zero degrees that year. 22 families with a row are not 22 active programs with students graduating. Verify the exact program your child is interested in, not the general category.

As for group size, the official ratio is 10 students for every instructional staff member, both counted as full-time equivalents. It is a low ratio, below half of similar schools. But this does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes. It is an institutional average, not a promise of small classrooms. Ask directly about the typical size of introductory classes in the program of interest.

The institution also reports structured opportunities: study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only in the evenings or on weekends, and preparation for teacher certification, including preparation in certain areas of specialization.

What the admissions process is like

Here is something many families do not expect: the undergraduate application fee is $0.

Barry does not have open admissions; there are items it reviews before saying yes. Out of nine possible considerations, it marked three as required: the high school transcript, high school grade-point average, and English-proficiency examination for those to whom it applies. If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask today whether that examination applies and what exempts them from it. These are the kinds of things discovered too late when people do not ask in time.

What stands out is what is NOT considered: class rank, whether the recommended course plan was completed, the personal essay, recommendation letters, a portfolio, work experience, and whether any family member attended. Even if they are submitted, the report says they do not enter the admissions decision. IPEDS does not say how much each of the three required elements weighs relative to the others, so it cannot be claimed that any one of them decides everything.

Barry also does not consider SAT or ACT scores for the admissions decision, even if they are submitted. That does not say whether it uses them for scholarships or course placement; ask that separately.

As for how selective it is in practice: of 12,141 applicants in the most recent cycle, 7,172 received an offer of admission. That is 59 out of every 100. Compared with similar private schools, it falls on the lower-acceptance side: seven out of ten of those schools admit a higher percentage. It is not a sure thing, but it is not a lottery either. The application is reviewed.

Here is one of the most striking numbers in this entire profile, and I want you to look at it carefully: out of every 100 admitted students, only 8 ultimately enrolled. Put another way, out of every 13 young people who received a yes, roughly one ended up attending. Compared with similar schools, it is among the lowest proportions: nine out of ten are above it.

Do not read this as a stain on the school. The fact that most admitted students did not enroll does not mean the school is bad; the federal record does not explain why each person chose what they chose. And what others decided does not tell you what they will offer you. What does matter is this: wait for your letter with the net price—what it would truly cost your family—before deciding whether this school remains on the list.

Transfers: leaving before finishing is common

Out of every 100 students who entered Barry in 2017 to pursue a full-time bachelor’s degree, 41 transferred to another school without completing here, within the expected time frame. In numbers, that was 245 people. Compared with similar schools, this is among the highest proportions leaving: nine out of ten similar schools see fewer people leave.

This matters for correctly reading the graduation numbers that come later: a student who transfers does not appear as a Barry graduate, even if they finish their degree at another institution. The report counts the change, not that person’s final outcome. The fact that many transfer does not mean they did poorly; it simply means that here, leaving for another school before finishing is common, and the reason varies from family to family.

How much it costs: the sticker price

For the 2023-24 year, Barry’s reported total cost of attendance for a first-time, full-time undergraduate living on campus was $53,592. This total is the same whether the student is from Florida or out of state, because it is a private school.

Broken down: $33,450 for tuition and fees, $13,500 for housing and food, and $1,500 for books and supplies. The remainder is an estimate of personal expenses made by the financial-aid office itself.

Compared with 888 schools of the same type, this total falls below the middle of the group. It is not among the most expensive in the comparison universe, although it is still a high figure in absolute terms.

And here is the essential point: this number is the sticker price, not your family’s bill. Complete the FAFSA. Request the aid letter in writing. Until you have it in your hands, you do not know how much this school will cost you.

How much each family ends up paying, by income

At Barry University, among 195 first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $20,514. Among 82 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $23,386; among 59 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $29,647. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income and their own.

The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (195 students) and that of the highest-income band (59 students) is $9,133. Among first-year students who received any grant, the average was $23,930.

Even after grants are deducted, the average net price for the lowest-income families was $20,514 in academic year 2022-23. If that number does not fit your budget, it is better to see it today than in August.

An average does not tell you how different the cases were within that band; this information does not allow us to claim that there were families far below or above the published figure. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with grants, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships.

Financial aid and loans: how it is paid for in practice

Practically all Barry students—100 out of every 100, rounded—receive some type of scholarship or aid. Among those who received it, the average was $21,704 for the year. But that average hides a great deal of variation: some received much more and some much less.

The Pell Grant—federal aid for students with demonstrated financial need—went to 56 out of every 100 degree-seeking students. That is more than half.

Now for the other side of the coin. In the most recent school year, 52 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan, and those who borrowed received an average of $6,936 that year. If your child borrowed something similar in each of the four years of college, the accumulated total would be around $27,744, not counting interest. That is a number decided before the first signature, not at the end of the fourth year.

That average is only for federal loans in the student’s name, in one year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from private banks, or credit cards. And it is not the total debt with which someone graduates; for that, all four years would have to be added, and that figure is not in this report.

Barry also offers a tuition payment plan in installments, for those who prefer to spread the cost throughout the year instead of paying it all at once.

Housing, sports, and campus life

Barry does have its own housing and does not require all first-time students to live there. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan. The reported maximum housing capacity is 1,263 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee a room for your child: ask in writing for this year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether a space is guaranteed or you enter a waiting list.

As for ROTC, Barry marked no opportunities in its most recent report—neither the general box nor any of the three branches—while 926 of the 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide did mark it. That does not prove that no nearby path exists; it only says it was not reported in this field. If that scholarship matters to your family, ask admissions directly.

In sports, Barry competes in the NCAA, reporting membership specifically in basketball and baseball among the listed disciplines. That does not tell you which division each team plays in or whether athletic scholarships are available. If your child is an athlete, write directly to the coach for their sport.

Barry offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, although only 4 out of every 100 undergraduate students take all of their classes that way; the rest take at least one in-person course. The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary loan, with annual spending above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government. That does not guarantee it has the databases specific to your child’s program: ask by program name.

Among the services the institution reports are combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon completing the program, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a published page of services for people with disabilities. Their being reported does not by itself establish how accessible or effective they are in practice: verify that by speaking with the relevant office.

Persistence and graduation: the hardest part to read

Here we arrive at the numbers that weigh most heavily for a family considering four years of investment.

Of the cohort of students who first entered in 2022, full-time and seeking a bachelor’s degree, 58 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already completed their degree one year later. Compared with similar private schools, this proportion is among the lowest: nine out of ten similar schools retain a larger proportion. The data do not separate how many remain enrolled from how many have already graduated, nor do they explain what happened to the rest. Not appearing as retained does not mean someone gave up; they may have transferred, paused their studies, or taken another path the data do not capture.

Now graduation. Of 604 students who entered bachelor’s study in 2017, full-time and without prior college attendance, 221 had earned a degree here six years later. That is 37 out of every 100. At four years, the time frame most families budget for, the figure is only 18 out of every 100.

It is worth seeing the complete breakdown of those 604 students:

Notice something: the largest group is not the group that graduated. It is the group that transferred to another school. That does not mean they failed; it means their story continues somewhere else, and this database does not follow it. Compared with similar private schools, Barry falls in the bottom quarter by proportion of graduates within the time frame: three out of every four similar schools graduate a larger proportion.

Before signing anything, ask in writing how long the program your child is interested in usually actually takes, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if it takes one year longer than planned. A fifth year is paid for, literally.

There is a longer view, at eight years, of a different cohort: 1,496 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, including full-time and part-time students. Of them, 48 out of every 100 had a Barry degree or certificate as of August 2023. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure rises a little: 51 out of every 100. 24 out of every 100 had unknown enrollment status—the report simply did not determine what happened to them, which does not mean they stopped studying. Compared with similar schools, this eight-year figure also falls in the bottom quarter.

None of these numbers predicts what will happen to your child. They are averages for an entire institution, not a judgment about one specific person.

What this piece cannot tell you

This profile does not include information about what happens after graduation: employment, salaries, or debt at the time of leaving. Those data require another source, and they are not certified here. Nor does it tell you whether the exact program your child is interested in has a good reputation, good professors, or the right environment for them. You can only learn that by visiting, asking questions, and, above all, listening to what your child feels when they set foot on that campus.

How to put all this together

You now know in depth one of the three pieces you need to decide: what Barry University truly is and offers, according to its own official reports. It is a medium-sized school, with a notably present Latino community, with admissions that review your transcript but not your essay, with a high sticker price and a net price that remains high even for lower-income families, with a four-year graduation rate that requires careful planning, and with a pattern of transferring out that is worth understanding before making a commitment.

Now it is your turn to combine this piece with the other two: what your child wants to study and what they have built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. A real plan comes from that combination, not from this piece alone.

Your child’s role is to explore, work hard, and decide on their career. Your role is to understand the money, support them in the big decisions, and not leave them alone in front of a system they are only beginning to learn. You do not have to do it for them. You do it with them.

Source note: the information in this article comes from data reported by Barry University to the IPEDS system of the United States Department of Education, corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, with Carnegie classifications based on data from 2019-20 and 2021. Best College Aid does not represent Barry University or any government agency; this piece organizes and explains public data to help families understand them.