The Catholic University of America is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Washington, District of Columbia. It enrolls 3,154 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes82
Value41
Affordability18
Selectivity37
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 82.8%, The Catholic University of America is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
82.8%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether The Catholic University of America is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
1.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending The Catholic University of America isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $29,561 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$29,561
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
48%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$58,378
Room & Board (on-campus)
$18,200
Room & Board (off-campus)
$18,200
Books & Supplies
$1,216
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,502
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,502
Total Cost of Attendance
$75,481
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$17,358
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,895
$48,001 – $75,000
$24,723
$75,001 – $110,000
$28,295
Over $110,000
$37,651
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$12,00025%percentile
$26,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$33,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $24,000
↓ $2,000
No Pell $21,500
↓ $4,500
Dependent students $22,250
↓ $3,750
Independent students $23,000
↓ $3,000
Female students $23,250
↓ $2,750
Male students $19,500
↓ $6,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,750, less than completers ($26,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
71% of full-time students who enrolled at The Catholic University of America graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
71%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
85%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered The Catholic University of America earn a median of $73,250 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$73,250
Earning > $25K
85%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$54,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$66,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$54,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$56,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$63,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,100, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
11.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 91% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
The Catholic University of America is home to 3,154 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
3,154
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
10%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 53.7%1,693
Hispanic 22.2%699
Black 8.7%273
Other 5.2%163
Asian 3.3%103
International 2.9%92
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at The Catholic University of America. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityWashington, District of Columbia
Housing
Mostly residential1,988 beds on campus
Adult Learners
7%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
The Catholic University of America offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
103 distinct programs across
24 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at The Catholic University of America is 11:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$693M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$98,594
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
324 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
96
30%
$123,411
Associate Professors
126
39%
$91,628
Assistant Professors
95
29%
$85,506
Instructors
7
2%
$61,283
Pros & Cons of The Catholic University of America
A quick at-a-glance summary of how The Catholic University of America tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Above-average graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, The Catholic University of America is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Catholic University of America
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about The Catholic University of America.
Is The Catholic University of America hard to get into?
The Catholic University of America has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 82.8%.
What is the acceptance rate at The Catholic University of America?
The Catholic University of America has an acceptance rate of 82.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does The Catholic University of America cost?
The average net price after aid at The Catholic University of America is $29,561 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is The Catholic University of America worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $73,250 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $29,561 per year. That's roughly 2.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is The Catholic University of America known for?
The Catholic University of America is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Law, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do The Catholic University of America graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering The Catholic University of America are $73,250, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is The Catholic University of America accredited?
Yes. The Catholic University of America is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend The Catholic University of America?
The Catholic University of America enrolls 3,154 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at The Catholic University of America?
The Catholic University of America graduates 71% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is The Catholic University of America a public or private college?
The Catholic University of America is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is The Catholic University of America located?
The Catholic University of America is located in Washington, District of Columbia.
What programs does The Catholic University of America offer?
The Catholic University of America offers 103 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Law, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at The Catholic University of America?
The student-to-faculty ratio at The Catholic University of America is 11:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in District of Columbia
Other colleges in District of Columbia share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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