What Kind of University It Is, and Where It Is Located
University of Dallas is in Irving, Texas, within Dallas County, inside the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. That does not mean the campus is right in the center of a large city. The census code places it in a principal city with 250,000 residents or more, but that figure does not answer how to get to campus or what there is to experience nearby. If your child were thinking about living at home, the only honest way to know is to drive the route on a weekday at the time of their classes. The actual travel time is almost never what the map promises.
It is a private, nonprofit institution, and the federal government classifies it as a master's university with larger programs. The Carnegie system, which organizes the country's universities according to what they do, describes it as a small, highly residential four-year school: at the time of that measurement, at least half of its undergraduate students lived in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 studied full time. It also places the school in its selective-admissions group.
“Highly residential” is a phrase worth pausing over for a moment. It does not mean living on campus is free or included in tuition. Room and board are charged separately, and they almost never appear together in the same figure in the brochure. Ask for each separately, including the meal plan, before comparing this school with any other.
IPEDS—the federal system that compiles these data—reports the doctoral degree as the highest level the institution says it offers and classifies it as a degree-granting school that primarily awards bachelor's degrees or credentials at higher levels. That is an institutional data point, not a map of its programs: it does not tell you whether the exact major that interests your child exists here or whether it connects to a graduate program. That must be asked program by program.
And one clarification about something people sometimes assume without checking: University of Dallas is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have one of those three designations; this one does not. That says nothing about which communities it serves well or poorly—that must be asked directly, by checking current cultural centers and student organizations and speaking with people who already study there.
Who Will Share the Classroom With Your Child
Here is a number worth underlining: 28 out of every 100 undergraduate students at University of Dallas are Hispanic or Latino. That is more than one in four. And among the 941 selective-admission private four-year schools that reported this figure, it is among those reporting the highest share: nine out of ten schools in that group reported an equal or lower proportion. If your child is Latino, they would not be the exception on this campus.
But a high percentage of Latino students is not the same thing as support for Latino students. This figure counts how many there are, not whether there is a counselor who speaks Spanish, whether tutoring is available, or whether those students finish their degrees. And it is the percentage for the entire school, not for your child's specific major. Counting is not supporting. That must be asked separately.
The rest of the student picture: only 2 out of every 100 are between the ages of 25 and 64, so there are almost no adult students returning to school. The balance between men and women is nearly even, with women making up 55 out of every 100. And just over half of entering students, 58 out of every 100, reported a permanent address in Texas when they applied. Almost all of the other half come from out of state.
As for size, University of Dallas had 2,182 students enrolled in the official fall count, placing it in the middle band, between 1,000 and 4,999, right at the midpoint compared with its peers. But that figure includes graduate enrollment: it is divided between 1,427 undergraduate students and 755 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor's degree program, the number that matters to them is 1,427, not the total.
How the Academic Year Is Organized and How Broadly the Programs Are Distributed
The calendar operates on semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. In its most recent report to the federal government, the institution indicated that it accepts credit for AP exams, but it did not check the box for credit based on life experience. That does not mean it grants credit for every AP exam: the report does not say what scores are required or how many credits are awarded. Ask for a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling; do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
In a recent year, University of Dallas awarded 303 bachelor's degrees across 15 fields of study. The field awarding the most degrees was business and management, accounting for 20 out of every 100 degrees that year—no other area exceeded it, but it also does not account for the bulk of the degrees. The offerings are broad, not concentrated in a single area. This counts degrees awarded, not people or the current catalog of majors. Before deciding, ask about the exact major that interests your child: how many students graduated from it, how long they took, and what the curriculum is like.
As for the relationship between students and instructional staff, the official ratio is 11 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent member of the instructional staff. Compared with 941 similar schools, it falls below the group's midpoint—it is a low ratio, without reaching the group's lowest quarter. But this figure does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. It is an institutional average, not a promise about your child's first-year class.
The institution also reports structured academic pathways: study abroad, preparation for teacher certification, and state approval for initial teacher certification. If any of these interests your child, it is a starting point for asking more questions.
Getting In: What the Application Requires and How Selective the School Is
Let us start with what the university requires. University of Dallas does not have open admissions: it reviews several components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marks six as required: the high school record, grade point average, completion of the required college-preparatory curriculum, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and the English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. It also considers, without requiring, class rank, 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 to their case, do not spend energy on it. Spend it on what is within their control. The published application fee is $50.
Now, the numbers showing how difficult it is to get in. In the most recent admissions cycle, 4,179 people applied for admission as first-year students. Of those, 2,265 were offered a place: 54 out of every 100. That is a count divided almost exactly in half. Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, University of Dallas is on the lower side for acceptance: seven out of ten of those schools accepted a higher percentage of their applicants. Admission is not a sure thing, but it is not a lottery either. The application is reviewed.
But here is a figure that almost no one looks at and that matters a great deal: out of every 100 students admitted, only 15 enrolled. The other 85 had a letter saying yes and did not accept the offer. That is not a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made the choice they made—but it does tell you something useful: receiving the letter is not the same as deciding to attend, and what others decided does not predict what your child will be offered. Wait for your letter with the net price—what the year will actually cost you—before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid. Among those who enrolled, 30 out of every 100 submitted an SAT score, and among them, the middle half scored between 600 and 710 in reading and writing and between 570 and 660 in mathematics. Those ranges describe students who had already enrolled, not everyone who applied, and they do not serve as a minimum or a guarantee.
And regarding students who leave: of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor's degree, 24 out of every 100 transferred to another institution without finishing here. That is a common figure compared with similar schools. Transferring is not failing, but it is worth making sure your child knows beforehand how to request the paperwork needed to transfer, in case it becomes necessary.
The Sticker Price and What It May Actually Cost You
At University of Dallas, among 37 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 $14,372. Among 38 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $18,311; among 110 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $34,646. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents' income with their own.
There is a difference of $20,274 between the average for the lowest-income band, which included 37 students, and the average for the highest-income band, which included 110 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 $31,221.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this school falls in the least expensive quarter for lower-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a data point that matters when you decide which schools to apply to.
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 financial aid letter sent to you is the one that governs.
The Aid Students Receive and the Debt They Sign For
At University of Dallas, 99 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received a grant, scholarship, or other aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something here is common, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $33,750 for the year—a large figure, but an average that includes both those who received much more and those who received much less. None of this is your specific offer.
Pell Grants—the federal aid for low-income families—went to 26 out of every 100 degree-seeking students.
Now let us talk about debt, because this is where the figure stops being abstract. In the 2022-23 school year, 47 out of every 100 undergraduate students at University of Dallas received a federal student loan. That is almost half. Among those who borrowed, each took out an average of $6,059 that year. Financing an education with debt is common here, not the exception.
Do the full calculation before signing anything: if your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would be around $24,236, not including interest. And that average covers only federal loans taken out in the student's name in one year—it does not include PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit-card debt. Nor is it the total debt with which someone graduates; that would require adding all four years, and that figure is not in this report. That percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would need to borrow comes from their own financial aid letter. Wait for that letter before making a commitment.
The institution also reports a tuition payment plan that allows payments in installments as a formal mechanism for managing the cost.
Campus Life, Sports, and the Support Available
University of Dallas does have its own housing, and it does not require all first-year students to live there—which does not mean that no individual program has that requirement; ask about your child's specific case. It offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. Its reported maximum housing capacity is 932 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee a bed: ask in writing for the annual rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or there is a waiting list.
If your child is interested in ROTC, the university reported two available branches: Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked. Being reported does not mean the program is conducted specifically on this campus or that a place is guaranteed—ask about it by name before building a plan around it.
In athletics, University of Dallas competes in the NCAA in sports that include basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. Membership belongs to the school; it is not a promise to your child. If they are interested, they need to write directly to the coach and ask about a place on the team, the division, and whether that sport awards scholarships.
The school offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but in the most recent count, zero undergraduate students took their entire course load remotely—all took at least one in-person class. If your child needs a fully remote option, that must be confirmed in writing, program by program.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending. The institution also reports academic and career counseling services, employment support for current students and graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a services page for people with disabilities. The fact that these services are reported does not say how effective they are or what they feel like in practice—that must be asked directly.
How Many Stay and How Many Finish
Of the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022 seeking a bachelor's degree on a full-time basis, 403 students started and 325 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later: 81 out of every 100. That is a little above the midpoint among its 930 peers. This figure does not distinguish between those who are still studying here and those who have already graduated; nor does it explain what happened to the rest. And an important clarification: not returning to this school is not the same as leaving higher education. In this figure, someone who transferred to another university and continues there is counted in the same way as someone who stopped studying.
As for graduation, of the 419 first-time, full-time students who began a bachelor's degree in 2017, 285 had graduated from University of Dallas six years later. That is 68 out of every 100. At four years, the figure was already 62 out of every 100—only 6 points lower than at six years, a small gap. Compared with 920 similar schools, University of Dallas ranks above the group's median.
For that same cohort of 419, it is worth looking at the complete breakdown: 285 graduated here, 100 transferred to another institution without completing a degree at this one, 12 remained enrolled without finishing, and 22 fell into the federal “no longer enrolled” category—a category that does not explain the reason and may include people who later graduated outside the measured period.
And there is an even longer-term view: tracking a cohort of 452 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—a mix of first-time students and students with prior college experience—by the eight-year measurement point, 72 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this institution. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was 68 out of every 100, six points below the group without Pell Grants. Compared with its peers, this figure also ranks above the median.
A high figure is not a promise about your child. It describes a cohort that entered years ago under conditions that are not necessarily the same as today's. It is worth asking about the program's current support and the outcomes of more recent cohorts.
What You Already Know and What Is Still Yours to Decide
You have already seen the university's part: it admits students, offers aid, and reports its programs and support services. Your child's part is their essay, their academic record, their decision about which major to pursue, and whether this school connects with what they want to build. And your part is the money, the FAFSA, the aid letter, and the questions you need answered in writing before committing to anything.
None of these figures makes the decision for you. What they do is give you an honest map of one of the three pieces you need: what the university really is. Put it together with what your child wants and has built, and with what your family can afford. A plan comes from that combination, not from a single number.
This information comes from data reported by University of Dallas to the United States Department of Education through the IPEDS system, corresponding primarily to the 2022–23 and 2023–24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent University of Dallas or any government agency; this article is informational and does not replace the admission letter or financial aid letter that the university provides directly to your family.