This article is not going to tell you whether Duquesne is "good" or "bad" for your child. That is not a question with a single answer. What I can do is show you, using the official data that the United States government collects from every college in the country, what kind of institution Duquesne is, how it operates, what it really costs, whom it admits, and what happens to the people who enroll there. With that information in hand, you can decide whether it is worth keeping on your child's list and what questions to ask before signing anything.
What Kind of University It Is
Duquesne University is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, within Allegheny County and the city's metropolitan area. The system that classifies colleges in the United States—the Carnegie Classification—places it among doctoral universities with high research activity. That means it is not just an undergraduate school: it offers master's and doctoral degrees, and in fact, the doctorate is the highest degree level it reports.
It is also classified as a selective-admission school and, above all, as highly residential: at least half of its undergraduate students live in housing owned by or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attend full time. If your child imagines living on campus, this school is built around that idea. But be careful: living on campus is not the same as paying tuition. Room and board are charged separately, and they are almost never combined into the same figure in the brochure. Ask for them separately before comparing this school with any other.
Duquesne has none of the three special designations tracked by the government: it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. That says nothing about which students it serves today or how your child would feel there. It only means that it is not on those three lists.
And a practical note: its census code places it in a large city with 250,000 residents or more. If your child plans to live at home and drive to campus, do not rely on the map. Make the trip on a weekday at the actual time of your child's classes.
How Many Students There Are and Who They Are
In the most recent official count, Duquesne had 8,137 enrolled students: 5,226 undergraduates and 2,911 graduate students. It is neither a small school nor an enormous one; it falls within the range of 5,000 to 9,999, and compared with similar selective private universities, it is on the larger side: only between one and three out of every ten have more students.
Here is something worth emphasizing: if your child is entering an undergraduate degree program, the figure that matters is 5,226, not 8,137. The larger total includes graduate enrollment, and a substantial part of this school consists of people who have already completed an undergraduate degree and returned for another one.
As for who makes up that undergraduate population: there are more women than men, 63 out of every 100. There are almost no adult students—just 2 out of every 100 are between the ages of 25 and 64. And Latino students are few: 5 out of every 100. Compared with other selective private universities, that proportion places Duquesne in the group's bottom quarter.
Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not make it good. It is simply a fact about who is enrolled today. If your child will be one of the few, the recommendation is simple: during the visit, ask which student organization, cultural center, or person in the office speaks Spanish and can provide guidance. That figure is for the entire school; your child's experience may look different.
How It Works Academically
The academic year at Duquesne is organized into semesters, two periods of about 15 weeks each, with consistent dates for everyone. The school states that it accepts credit from AP exams and also what IPEDS calls "credit for life experiences"—work, licenses, certifications, and independent study—in addition to credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is one truth that cannot be overlooked: the school's statement that it accepts AP does not mean it will award credit for every exam your child takes. It does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward your child's specific degree program. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what students study there: between July 2022 and June 2023, Duquesne awarded 1,385 bachelor's degrees across 23 program families. But the distribution is fairly concentrated: 38 out of every 100 degrees—526 out of 1,385—were in health professions. Compared with other selective private universities, this places Duquesne in the quarter with the most program families represented in its reported offerings. If your child wants to study something related to health, this school has strength in that area. If your child wants to study something else, it is worth verifying the exact program of interest, because 23 families with a row in the report do not mean 23 robust majors: one family may group several programs together, and some rows report zero.
The ratio of students to instructional staff is 12 to 1. On the overall college scale, that is low. But compared specifically with schools of the same type, it is above the median: half or more of those schools report a ratio that is the same or lower. Both things are true at the same time, and neither tells you the actual size of first-year classes because IPEDS does not report that information.
Duquesne also reports structured opportunities: study abroad, a complete program that can be taken entirely at night or on weekends, and several pathways for teacher certification preparation, including state approval for initial certification.
What It Takes to Get In: Admission, Tests, and Who Actually Enrolls
Duquesne does not have open admission. Of the nine considerations it reviews, it marks three as required: the high school record, high school GPA, and completion of the required college-preparatory curriculum. The essay, letters of recommendation, and English proficiency exam, when applicable, are considered if you submit them, although they are not required. The published undergraduate application fee is $0.
Now for the numbers that really matter. In the 2023 cycle, Duquesne received 14,112 first-time applications and offered admission to 11,128. That is 79 out of every 100 applicants admitted. Compared with other selective private universities, that rate places Duquesne near the middle, slightly above the midpoint of the group. Put simply: there are thousands of applicants, and even so, nearly 8 out of every 10 are admitted. Your child has a real reason to apply, as long as the application is complete and submitted on time.
But here is the figure that almost no one looks at and that does matter: out of every 100 admitted students, only 13 ultimately enrolled. That puts Duquesne on the low side compared with similar schools—in seven out of every ten schools in that group, or more, a larger proportion of admitted students enroll. Out of every 8 young people who receive an acceptance letter, about one decides to attend. The others already had a place here and chose somewhere else.
Do not read that as a mark against the school. The federal records do not say why each person made that decision, and what others did does not tell you what Duquesne will offer your child. What it does tell you 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.
As for standardized tests: Duquesne is test-optional. The SAT and ACT are not required; if your child submits them, they are considered, and if not, the application remains active. Of the students who enrolled, only 25 out of every 100 submitted an SAT score, and among those students, the middle half scored between 590 and 680 in reading and writing and between 570 and 670 in mathematics. Those ranges describe students who enrolled and submitted scores, not all applicants, and they are neither minimums nor guarantees.
And as for transfers: in fall 2023, 197 undergraduate students arrived at Duquesne after studying at another institution. Compared with similar schools, that count places Duquesne in the upper half. It is a count of people, not a proportion, and it goes hand in hand with the school's size. How many credits Duquesne accepted from those transfer students is another question—and one to ask the school directly.
What It Costs and What Families Actually Pay
At Duquesne University, among 115 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 $25,943. Among 132 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $31,920; among 495 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $38,975. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents' income with their own.
There is a difference of $13,032 between the average for the lowest-income band (115 students) and the average for the highest-income band (495 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 $35,125.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this measure with the same time coverage, Duquesne 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 financial aid letter before deciding.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, identifying yours correctly 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 financial aid letter sent to you is what ultimately matters.
Financial Aid and Debt
The good news, up to a point: 99 out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Duquesne receive some kind of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is the norm here, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $26,044 for the year—but it is an average; it includes those who received much more and those who received much less.
Now the part that requires careful attention: the federal Pell Grant, which goes to low-income families with demonstrated need, reached only 18 out of every 100 students. That means at least 81 out of every 100 received aid that came from somewhere else—the state government, the university itself, or another source—without the report specifying which one. If your family would qualify for Pell, ask the school directly who provides that other aid, what is required to qualify, and what is required to renew it each year.
As for loans: in the 2022-23 school year, 57 out of every 100 Duquesne undergraduate students received a federal student loan, averaging $6,428 per student that year. Compared with similar selective private universities, that proportion is typical, neither among the highest nor among the lowest.
Financing an education with debt is normal here. If your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the four years of the degree program, the total would be close to $25,712, not including interest or any loans taken out separately by the parents. That calculation should be made before the first signature, not at the end. And remember: that average describes other families. The amount your child would need to borrow depends on your child's own financial aid letter.
Duquesne also offers an installment tuition payment plan and participates in a Promise program.
Life on Campus: Where Students Live and What Support Is Available
Duquesne has its own housing and meal plans, although it does not require all full-time students to live there. Its reported maximum housing capacity is 3,552 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available for your child; ask in writing for the annual rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child could be placed on a waiting list.
As for ROTC: Duquesne indicated that it offers all three branches—Army, Navy, and Air Force—something only 135 of the 3,012 universities in this directory do. That tells you whom to call, but it does not confirm that the program is offered on this specific campus, how many spaces are available, or whether scholarships are available. Ask about each branch separately.
In athletics, Duquesne competes in the NCAA, with reported membership in football, basketball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to play, write directly to the coach of the relevant sport and ask about a roster spot, division, and athletic scholarship, in writing.
The school offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, although in practice very few undergraduate students—fewer than 1 out of every 100—take their entire course load that way. It also reports at least one complete distance program, without specifying whether it is undergraduate or graduate; confirm the exact level if that matters to your child.
The library operates with paid staff and spending above the $100,000 threshold tracked by the government, has physical and digital collections, and participates in interlibrary lending. Reported services also include combined academic and career counseling, employment services, job placement for graduates, on-campus child care, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a point of contact for service members and their families, and a services webpage for people with disabilities.
What Happens to Students Who Enroll
This is probably the most useful part of the article because it deals with actual outcomes, not promises.
Of the cohort that entered Duquesne in 2022 as first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students, 86 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar selective private universities, that places Duquesne in the upper part of the group. But that figure combines two different groups—those still enrolled and those who had already graduated—without separating them, and it does not say what happened to the rest.
As for graduation: of the 1,416 students who entered in 2017 as first-time, full-time students, 1,061 had graduated six years later. That is 75 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 67 out of every 100—a difference of 8 points between four and six years. Compared with similar schools, that rate of 75 out of every 100 places Duquesne in the top quarter: three out of every four similar universities report an equal or lower proportion.
It is a high figure, and it is worth stating with the emphasis it deserves: seven out of every ten students who entered Duquesne in 2017 left with a degree within six years. But a high percentage is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to that specific cohort. What is within your control, and your child's, is making sure that the credits are in order from the first semester and that your child knows who the academic advisor is and when registration opens for courses in the degree program.
A longer follow-up, over eight years, tracked a different cohort—students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, including both full-time and part-time students—of whom 79 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Duquesne by the August 2023 reporting date. Among Pell Grant recipients specifically, the figure was 72 out of every 100—9 points below the group without Pell. If your family would qualify for Pell, that is exactly the question worth taking to the school: what counseling, emergency aid, and internal scholarship renewal options are available specifically for those students, with the answer provided in writing.
What This Article Cannot Tell You
We do not know what happens to Duquesne graduates after graduation—their income, employment, or debt upon leaving. That information is not part of the federal data underlying this article, and we are not going to invent it.
We also do not know whether the program your child wants to study exists exactly as your child imagines it, what it will specifically cost your family, whether your child would qualify for the desired athletic team, or whether ROTC operates on this campus. Only the university can answer those questions, directly and in writing.
That is only one of the three parts of the plan. The other two are what your child wants to study and has already built toward getting there, and what your family can and is willing to pay. No university, no matter how good its numbers are, determines by itself whether it is the right one. You make that decision together, with the financial aid letter in hand and the right questions already asked.
Source note: The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, with data primarily corresponding to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, depending on the indicator. Best College Aid does not represent Duquesne University or the United States government; this article is an informational resource, not an official communication from the institution.