What kind of school it is, in a few words
Loyola University Chicago is a private, nonprofit university offering programs of four years or more. The federal government classifies it within the group of universities with high research activity and with the doctoral degree as the highest level it reports offering. That does not tell you whether your child’s specific major is available there or whether it connects to a graduate program; you verify that program by program.
It is also described as a large, primarily residential, four-year school: when those data were collected, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institutionally controlled housing, and at least half studied full time. In other words, it is a university designed for most of its students to live there, not just attend classes.
And there is something worth saying directly: in its undergraduate admissions profile, it is classified within the “more selective” group. Getting in is not automatic. But be careful: “more selective” describes whom it admits, not how well it teaches. It is a label on the door, not on what is inside. And it does not tell you how many out of every hundred applicants receive a yes—you will see that number later, and it will surprise you.
Loyola is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County, within the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area. Its census code places it in a principal city with 250,000 residents or more. That does not tell you whether the campus is right downtown or how easy it is to get around nearby. If your child plans to live at home and commute to campus, do not rely on the map: drive the route yourself on a weekday at the time your child would have class. Real traffic is almost never what Google Maps promises.
Another point worth making clear: Loyola is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; Loyola is not among them. That says nothing about which communities it serves today or how your child will feel on that campus. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist, what student organizations operate there, and better yet, talk with someone who already studies there.
The actual size of the student community
Loyola reported 17,397 enrolled students in the official fall count. It is a large school—the government places it in the range of between 10,000 and 19,999 students. Compared with the 941 selective-admission, private four-year schools in this census that report the data, it is among the largest: no more than one in ten has more students.
But that large number hides something important for a family whose child is just starting a bachelor’s degree: of those 17,397, only 12,487 are undergraduates. The other 4,910 have already completed a degree and are in graduate school. If your child is just starting, the number that matters to them is 12,487, not the total of 17 thousand.
Within that undergraduate population, 21 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. That is not a majority, but neither is it unusual—and compared with 941 similar private schools in this census, Loyola falls in the top quarter: three out of four schools in that group reported an equal or lower share. Still, that comparison has a real limitation: peers are grouped by school type, not by state, and Chicago is not just any city when it comes to Latino presence. The figure is also not broken down by major; it covers the entire school.
There are also more women than men among undergraduates—68 out of every 100—and adult students, ages 25 to 64, are few: only 5 out of every 100. Just over half of new students, 56 out of every 100, reported living in Illinois when they applied. It is a school with a strong local presence, but not an exclusively local one.
How the academic year works and which credits they recognize
The calendar is semester-based: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. Nothing unusual there; it is the most common format in the United States.
Loyola stated that it accepts credit for AP exams and also what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—independent study, courses for adults, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses or certifications, and even military opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the hard truth about this subject: the school’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean it will give your child credit for every exam they take. The report does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific major that interests your child. Before your child enrolls believing they have already saved a semester, request the equivalency evaluation in writing. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
The selection of majors: broad, not concentrated
Between July 2022 and June 2023, Loyola awarded 2,920 bachelor’s degrees across 26 fields of study—the CIP system the government uses to group programs. No field accounts for a large share: the most popular was business and management, and even that represented only 19 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. Compared with 942 similar schools, Loyola falls in the top quarter for the number of fields of study represented in its offerings.
This does not mean 26 exact majors or that all of them have active students—a row may report zero degrees that year, and a “CIP field” groups several different programs under the same umbrella. What it does tell you clearly is that Loyola is not a school concentrated in two or three areas: its offerings are broad. Verify the exact program that interests your child, using its full name, not just the general field.
As for the relationship between students and faculty: the official ratio is 13 students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. On the overall scale, that is a low ratio. But compared with 941 similar schools, it is above the median—not in the highest quarter, but above the halfway point. Both things are true at the same time, which is why I am giving them to you separately. And a necessary clarification: this ratio does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. It is an institution-wide average and does not report the size of first-year classes.
Loyola also reports structured academic opportunities: study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only in the evenings or on weekends, developmental education both for credit and not for credit, and pathways to teacher certification, including state approval of the program. The fact that these opportunities are reported does not tell you how they currently work for your child’s major—again, ask for them by name.
What getting in is like: the requirements and the real doorway
Loyola does not have open admissions. It reviews several pieces before saying yes. Of the nine considerations covered by this report, excluding standardized tests and legacy status, three are required: high school GPA, letters of recommendation, and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Other pieces are not required but are considered if submitted: the complete high school record, class rank, completion of Loyola’s required college-preparatory program, the personal essay, work experience, and whether a family member attended the university. The published application fee is $0.
There is one piece your child cannot change through effort: whether a family member already attended Loyola is taken into account. If that does not apply to your child, do not spend energy on it. Spend it on what is within their control.
Now, the figure that really matters when discussing “how hard it is to get in”: of the 40,468 first-time applicants in the 2023 cycle, 32,937 were offered a place. That is 81 out of every 100. Compared with 942 similar schools, that rate is common—slightly above the midpoint of the group. Put simply: Loyola receives thousands of applications, and even so, eight out of ten receive a yes. Your child has a real reason to apply. Your child also has a reason to submit a complete application on time, because that number comes from a single cycle, not a fixed rule of the institution—if more students apply in your child’s year and the number of places does not grow, the figure goes down on its own.
Here is the contrast worth understanding clearly, because it confuses many families: out of every 100 students Loyola admitted in 2023, only 9 enrolled. Compared with 942 similar schools, that rate is among the lowest—nine out of ten schools in the group are higher. Put another way: out of every 11 young people who receive an acceptance letter from Loyola, roughly one ultimately attends. The others had a place and did not take it.
Do not read this as a mark against the school. The fact that most admitted students do not enroll does not mean the school is bad; the federal record does not explain why each person made the decision they did—many probably got into other universities as well and chose another option. What this figure does tell you is something useful: what others decided does not predict what your family will be offered.
As for standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If submitted, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds in the same way. Of the first-time students who enrolled, 25 out of every 100 submitted an SAT score. Among them, the middle half scored between 590 and 680 in reading and writing and between 570 and 660 in mathematics. That range covers students who enrolled and submitted scores—not all applicants—and does not prove that the score determined any admission decision. That 590 is not a minimum your child must reach, and that 680 guarantees nothing.
As for transfers: among the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree full time, 16 out of every 100 transferred without completing at Loyola and enrolled at another institution. Compared with 542 similar schools, that share is common, slightly below the group’s average. In the other direction, Loyola also accepts transfer students: 355 students entered for the first time in the fall of 2023 after coming from another institution. Changing schools is not failing. If your child thinks they might need that option someday, it is worth learning now how to request the paperwork—and if they decide to move, ask the destination institution in writing, with the exact list of courses, how many credits it would accept. That information is not included in any of these figures.
The published cost: the full figure before aid
For the 2023–24 academic year, Loyola’s reported cost of attendance for a first-time, full-time student living on campus was $71,410. That budget is the same whether the student is from Illinois or another state—there is no difference based on residency here, unlike at many public universities.
Broken down, it includes $51,716 for tuition and fees, $16,894 for on-campus housing and food, and $1,200 for books and supplies. The remainder is an estimate of personal expenses made by the financial aid office—transportation, laundry and entertainment.
Compared with 888 similar schools, this cost of attendance is among the highest in the group. It is a real number and must be faced directly: $71,410 is a lot of money, regardless of your family income.
But—and this is central—that is the list price, not your family’s bill. Complete the FAFSA. Ask for the aid letter in writing. Until you have it in hand, you do not know how much Loyola will cost your family.
Net price: what families actually ended up paying
At Loyola University Chicago, among 383 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 $28,666. Among 290 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $32,527; among 883 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $40,370. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, covering 383 students, and the average for the highest-income band, covering 883 students, is $11,704. Among first-year students who received any scholarship or grant aid, the average was $37,592.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported these data with the same time coverage, Loyola falls in 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.
An average does not show how different the cases within that band were; these data do not support saying that some families were far below or above the published figure. 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 for students receiving scholarship or grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local or institutional scholarships or grants.
Aid: almost everyone receives something, but “something” varies greatly
91 out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Loyola received some scholarship or grant aid that does not have to be repaid. Here, receiving aid is the norm, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $25,808 per year—but that average hides those who received much more and those who received much less.
The Pell Grant—federal aid for low-income families—went to 23 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students.
$25,808 is real money, but it is not a price. What determines how much your family will pay is the number left after all aid is combined, and that number is not in this overall average—you must request it, school by school, with the letter in hand.
As for loans: in the 2022-23 academic year, 48 out of every 100 undergraduate students at Loyola received a federal student loan. Among those who borrowed, each received an average of $6,441 that year. Compared with 942 similar schools, that share is common—neither among the schools with the most student borrowers nor those with the fewest.
Here is a calculation worth doing calmly while sitting down: if your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years in the program of study, the total would be about $25,764—not counting interest. That figure is decided before the first signature, not at the end. And be careful: that average covers only federal loans in the student’s name for one year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from private banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt with which someone graduates—that would require adding all four years, and that number is not in this report.
Loyola also reports a tuition installment payment plan as a formal mechanism for managing the cost.
Campus life, support services and other information that completes the picture
Loyola does have institutionally controlled housing, and it responded that not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there—that rules out a universal requirement but does not say that no program has one. The reported maximum housing capacity is 4,989 students. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in the largest plan. The existence of rooms does not guarantee that a bed will be available for your child; request the annual rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child would join a waitlist, all in writing.
As for ROTC: Loyola indicated that an opportunity is available and marked all three branches—Army, Navy and Air Force. That is not common: of the 3,012 universities in this directory, only 135 mark all three. But that designation does not confirm that the program is offered on this specific campus or provide information about capacity, scholarships or requirements—ask about each branch separately before building a plan around it.
In sports, Loyola competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA, reporting membership for basketball and cross-country or track and field. That is an institutional affiliation, not a promise to your child: if they are interested in playing, contact the coach for that sport directly and ask about a place on the team, the division and whether an athletic scholarship is available, in writing.
As for distance education: Loyola does offer it at the undergraduate and graduate levels. But in the fall count, only 2 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance—the other 98 took at least one class in person. It also reported having at least one complete program that can be finished at a distance, but that does not confirm that one exists specifically at the undergraduate level: verify the exact level and major.
The library operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeded the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government—it has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that it has the specific databases your child’s major requires; ask using the program’s name.
Reported services and support include combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a point of contact for veterans, service members and their families, a student veterans organization, and a published webpage for disability services. The fact that they are reported does not show how good or accessible they are in practice—you learn that by speaking with someone who already uses them.
How likely your child is to stay and graduate
Of the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022 seeking a bachelor’s degree full time, consisting of 2,862 students, 2,410 met the official retention criterion the following year—84 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already completed their degree. Compared with 930 similar schools, Loyola ranks toward the top: it retained a larger share than most of its peers. This number does not distinguish between those still studying and those who completed their degree quickly, and it does not explain what happened to the rest.
As for graduation: of the cohort that entered in 2017, consisting of 2,660 full-time, first-time students, 2,009 had their degree in hand six years later—76 out of every 100. By four years, the figure was already 69 out of every 100, just 7 points lower. Compared with 920 similar schools, Loyola falls in the top quarter on this measure.
It is worth looking at the complete breakdown for that same cohort of 2,660: 2,009 graduated from Loyola within the time period; 97 completed a shorter program there; 430 transferred to another institution without completing at Loyola; 10 remained enrolled without finishing; and 114 fell into the federal “no longer enrolled” category—a category that does not explain the reason and may include those who graduated after the measured time limit.
Here is a truth that should not be softened: a high graduation percentage is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to the cohort of 2017. What is within your control is making sure your child starts with their credits in order and knows, from the first semester, who their academic advisor is and when to register for the courses their major requires.
Finally, a longer-term view: IPEDS followed a cohort of 3,156 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016 for eight years. As of August 2023, 71 out of every 100 had earned a Loyola degree or certificate. Among those who specifically received a Pell Grant, the figure was 65 out of every 100—9 points below those who did not receive Pell. Compared with 935 similar schools, Loyola is at or above the midpoint of the group.
If your family would qualify for Pell today, this comparison does not determine what will happen to your child—it is a historical cohort, not a prediction. But it is a question worth asking the school directly: what specifically is available for those students—an assigned advisor, emergency aid, and whether the institutional scholarship is renewed each year. Ask for the answer in writing.
How to bring all of this together in your family’s plan
You now know in detail one of the three pieces you need to decide: what Loyola University Chicago really is, beyond its name and reputation. It is large, it is selective in its classification but admits eight out of ten applicants, it is expensive at list price but provides aid to the great majority of its students, and its retention and graduation rates are above those of its peers.
That piece alone decides nothing. You are still missing what your child wants to study and what they have already built to get this far. And you are missing what your family can and is willing to pay, a number you will know with certainty only when the financial aid letter arrives with your child’s name on it.
If you live near Chicago, the daily transportation question is real and is best resolved by driving the route yourself. If you live far away, the question is different: how your child feels about starting from scratch in a large city and how prepared they are for it. If your child is just beginning to build a list, these numbers offer an honest point of comparison with other schools. If your child is about to apply, the immediate task is simple: complete the FAFSA on time and ask in writing what Loyola would specifically offer them.
You have not reached the end of your research. You have reached a point where you can ask the right questions, with the right numbers in hand, without needing anyone to explain them twice.
Source note: the information in this article comes from data reported by Loyola University Chicago to the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), primarily covering the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Loyola University Chicago or the United States government; this article organizes and explains public figures to help families understand them.