I am going to walk you through what the federal government reports about this university: what it is, whom it admits, how much it costs, how much aid it distributes, and what happens to the students who enroll. I am not going to tell you whether it is the right school for your child. No article can tell you that. But if you finish reading this and understand this piece of the puzzle well, you will already be further along than most families get before making a decision.
Who DePaul University is
DePaul is classified by Carnegie—the system that organizes this country's universities by what they do—among doctoral institutions with high research activity. It is a private, nonprofit, four-year university that offers programs through the doctoral level. And here is something important for understanding its character: Carnegie describes it as a large and primarily nonresidential institution. That means that, according to the 2019-20 data on which that label is based, either fewer than one in four undergraduate students live in institution-owned housing, or fewer than half attend full time. The data do not clarify which of the two conditions applied. Nor does it mean that there are no residence halls—there are, as we will see later—but rather that the school's overall profile does not revolve around living on campus.
If your child plans to live at home and commute, this gives you a useful clue: here, that is normal, not the exception. And if you are going to drive the route, do it on a weekday at the actual time of your child's classes. The travel time shown on the map is almost never the real travel time.
DePaul is also classified, in another Carnegie category, among institutions that enroll many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying somewhere else, ask in writing, before enrolling, which courses will count and which will not. The label says that many transfer students enroll; it does not say how many credits they bring or how many are lost along the way.
The university is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County, within the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area. That does not mean that the campus is right in the city center—that must be verified separately.
One more thing, and it is simple: DePaul has none of these three special designations: it is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one. DePaul's lack of such a designation says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask about that directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are active, and, better yet, talk with someone who already studies there.
A large community, with a clear Latino presence
DePaul reported 21,348 enrolled students in the most recent official count. That is a huge number: it falls within the highest band the government uses to classify size, 20,000 or more. Among the 941 comparable selective private schools in this census, DePaul is among the largest: at most one in ten has more students.
But that large number contains something worth separating: 14,374 are undergraduate students and 6,974 are graduate students. If your child is about to begin a bachelor's degree, the number that matters to your child's daily life is 14,374, not the total of twenty-one thousand.
Within that undergraduate population, 24 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. That is not a majority, but it is not unusual either: compared with 941 similar selective private schools, that share falls within the group's top quarter. Still, that comparison has a real limitation: the peers are grouped by type of school, not by state, and the comparison does not account for the distinct demographic composition of Illinois and Chicago. Nor does it reach the level of a specific major; it is a number for the entire school.
The undergraduate population is almost evenly divided between men and women: 55 out of every 100 are women. Students ages 25 to 64 are a minority: 10 out of every 100. Geographically, 69 out of every 100 first-time students reported a permanent address in Illinois when applying.
How academics work
DePaul operates on a quarter system: the year is divided into three terms of about 12 weeks each, with the possibility of a fourth term during the summer. That means fixed, consistent dates for everyone and a pace different from the traditional semester system you may have known.
The university stated that it accepts prior credit through two routes: AP exams and what IPEDS calls "credit for life experiences"—learning acquired through independent study, work, portfolios, licenses, or prior certifications. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a hard truth that cannot be softened: the university's statement that it accepts AP does not mean it will give your child credit for every exam your child takes. We do not know what scores it requires, how many credits it awards, or whether those credits count toward the specific major your child chose. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrollment. Do not budget for the savings until they are confirmed.
And if you are considering a transfer between this university and another, the quarter system adds another layer of complexity: verify both institutions' calendars and transfer policies in writing. This checkbox does not say whether the dates align or how the credits will be recognized.
As for the range of majors: DePaul awarded 3,070 bachelor's degrees in one year, distributed across 24 program families. The largest was business and management, with 29 out of every 100 degrees—no other area exceeds it, but it does not account for everything either. Compared with nearly one thousand similar selective private schools, DePaul falls within the quarter reporting the greatest variety of fields. It is a broad offering. But be careful: 24 families with a row in the report do not mean 24 guaranteed majors or 24 fields with degrees actually awarded—a row may report zero. Verify the exact program that interests your child.
Regarding class size, there is one figure people often misinterpret: the reported ratio is 17 students per instructional staff member, in full-time-equivalent terms. Compared with similar schools, that ratio falls within the group's highest quarter. But this number does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. It is an institutional average, not a measure of a first-year classroom.
Reported academic opportunities and pathways
DePaul reports offering study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, teacher-certification preparation below the bachelor's level, the ability to complete certain teacher specializations there, and state approval of its initial teacher-certification program. The reporting of these pathways confirms that they exist as structures; it does not say how accessible they are for the specific major that interests your child.
How admission, enrollment, and transfer work
This is where many families become nervous, so let us proceed calmly and use the exact numbers.
DePaul does not have open admission. It reviews specific components before saying yes. Of the nine considerations addressed by this report, five are required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum the university requires, letters of recommendation, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Other components are not required but are considered if submitted: class rank, the personal essay, a work sample (a portfolio or competency exam), work experience, and whether a family member attended the university.
That last factor—legacy status—is something your child cannot change. If it does not apply, do not spend energy on it. Spend that energy on what is within your child's control: the academic record, the letters, and the essay.
The undergraduate application fee is $0. That removes a real barrier.
Now for the numbers from the process itself. Of the 32,176 first-time applicants in the 2023 cycle, 23,660 were offered admission. That is 74 out of every 100. Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, this admission rate falls near the middle of the group, a little above the halfway point. Put another way: there are thousands of applicants, and yet nearly three out of four receive a yes. Your child has a real reason to apply, provided the application is complete and submitted on time. Still, this percentage comes from a single cycle, not a permanent rule of the institution. When it is your child's turn, check the number again for the applicable year.
Here is a figure that often surprises people and must be read carefully: out of every 100 admitted students, only 12 enrolled. Compared with similar schools, that enrollment rate falls on the low side of the group. In plain terms: out of every 8 young people who received a yes, about one ultimately enrolled there. The other seven had an offer of admission and did not accept it.
Do not read that as a blemish. 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 predict what your family will be offered. What does matter is this: wait for your letter showing the net price—what the year will actually cost your family—before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
Regarding standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required at DePaul. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid. Among those who enrolled and submitted SAT scores (29 out of every 100), the middle half scored between 570 and 680 in reading and writing, and between 560 and 660 in mathematics. That range describes students who enrolled, not all applicants, and does not prove that the score was used to admit anyone. That 570 is not a minimum, nor is that 680 a guarantee.
Regarding transfers, two figures coexist here and tell different stories. Of a bachelor's-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 16 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing at DePaul. Compared with similar schools, that percentage falls near the middle of the group, a little below the halfway point. At the same time, in the fall of 2023, DePaul enrolled 1,094 new students who transferred from another institution—a high number. Changing schools is not failing. If your child is considering moving at some point, it is useful to know in advance how to request the necessary records.
What it costs and what is actually paid
At DePaul University, among 394 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $23,758. Among 301 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $26,576; among 602 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $35,894. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
There is a difference of $12,136 between the average for the lowest-income band (394 students) and the average for the highest-income band (602 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family's price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $32,129.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, DePaul falls within the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the aid letter before deciding.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The aid letter you receive is what matters.
The aid it distributes and the loans students take out
91 out of every 100 students at DePaul received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something here is common, not the exception. Among recipients, the average was $24,427 for the year—a large number, but it is an average: it includes those who received much more and those who received much less.
The Pell Grant, federal aid for low-income families, reached 31 out of every 100 students.
And here is a hard fact, without cushioning: 47 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan last year. That is more than four out of ten. Among those who borrowed, the average was $6,338 that year. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the program's four years, the total would be around $25,352—not including interest and not including the Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, which are not included in this number.
That percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would have to borrow comes from your child's own aid letter. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school and before committing to it.
DePaul also reports a tuition payment plan with installments and participation in a Promise program as additional mechanisms for managing the cost.
Campus life, learning format, and support
DePaul does have its own housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 2,736 students, on or off campus. It is not required for all full-time, first-time students—the university confirmed that—but that does not say whether a particular program requires it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies according to the plan selected. The existence of the option does not guarantee a space: request the year's rate, the deadline, and whether a space is guaranteed or your child will be placed on a waiting list, all in writing.
Regarding ROTC, the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. The Navy and Air Force are not marked in this report. Not confirmed does not mean impossible—it means you need to ask directly.
DePaul competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. The report confirms membership for basketball and cross-country or track and field, although it does not specify the division or scholarships by sport. If your child is interested in a team, contact the coach for that sport directly.
Regarding distance education: DePaul offers online education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and reports at least one complete program that can be taken that way. However, only 7 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes through distance education; the other 93 took at least one class in person. It is the exception, not the norm, for someone beginning a bachelor's degree there.
The library operates with paid staff, expenditures above the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government, a physical and digital collection, and interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that specific databases exist for your child's major—ask about that using the program's name.
Finally, DePaul reports a broad list of services: combined academic and career counseling, employment assistance for current students and graduates, a postsecondary transition program for students with intellectual disabilities, participation in Yellow Ribbon, a point of contact for veterans and military service members, a veterans' student organization, and a webpage dedicated to services for people with disabilities. Their inclusion in the report confirms that they exist as formal structures; it does not measure their quality or effectiveness for your child's situation.
What happens to students: retention and graduation
For many families, this is the fundamental question: if my child enrolls, will my child stay? Will my child finish?
Of the full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 87 out of every 100 were still enrolled there or had already completed the degree one year later. Compared with similar schools, DePaul falls within the upper part of the group. This number combines two things—remaining enrolled and having already graduated—and the source neither separates them nor explains what happened to those outside the group.
Regarding graduation: of the cohort that entered in 2017, consisting of 2,537 full-time, first-time students, six years later 70 out of every 100 had earned the degree. With a four-year time frame, the figure falls to 56 out of every 100—a difference of 14 points that shows how much the time allowed for each student to finish matters. Compared with similar schools, DePaul is above the group's median.
It is worth examining the complete details for that cohort of 2,537: 1,776 completed the bachelor's degree at DePaul; 414 transferred without completing at DePaul and enrolled at another institution; 44 remained enrolled without having completed; and 303 were classified as "no longer enrolled" at the reporting date, a category that does not explain the reason.
A high number is not a promise for your child in particular. It is what happened to the cohort of 2017. What is within your child's control, beginning in the first term, is starting with the credits in order and knowing who the academic advisor is and when registration opens for courses in the major.
There is a third measure, at eight years, that combines first-time students with those who already had prior college experience. Of a cohort of 4,976 that entered between July 2015 and June 2016, 67 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from DePaul by the August 2023 reporting date. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 63 out of every 100—seven points below the group that did not receive it. Compared with similar schools, DePaul is also above the median on this measure. 14 out of every 100 had an "unknown" enrollment status at the reporting date: the report could not determine whether they remained enrolled anywhere, which does not mean they had dropped out.
Putting the pieces together
You now understand one of the pieces you need to make a decision: what DePaul University is, how accessible its entry door is, how much it costs on paper and how much it ultimately costs in practice, and what has happened to the recent cohorts that enrolled there.
This piece does not tell you whether it is the right school for your child. Your child must decide what to do with this opportunity if it comes. Your role is to understand the money, request the aid letter in writing, and provide support without carrying alone the weight of a decision that also belongs to your child.
With this piece in hand, you can continue putting together the rest of the plan.
Source note: The information in this article comes from data reported by DePaul University to the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS system, corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent DePaul University or any government agency; this article organizes public information for families for informational purposes.