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Drexel University

Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 67/100

Drexel University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

About Drexel University

Drexel University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 13,233 students (a large 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.

Official website: drexel.edu

Acceptance: 79.4%
Graduation: 61.9%
Net Price: $38,509
Median Earnings (10yr): $84,648
Enrollment: 13,233
Student : Faculty: 9:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Academic Calendar Quarter

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

67/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 87

Value 28

Affordability 20

Selectivity 64

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 79.4%, Drexel University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

79.4%

Easy

SAT Range (25th–75th)

1240 – 1440

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

27 – 32

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Drexel University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↑ 2.8 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Drexel University 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 $38,509 per year. That's above the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$38,509

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

27%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

49%

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: $62,412
Room & Board (on-campus): $18,096
Room & Board (off-campus): $19,428
Books & Supplies: $1,700
Other Expenses (on-campus): $1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus): $1,500
Total Cost of Attendance: $76,835

Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)

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

$28,055
$30,001 – $48,000

$29,435
$48,001 – $75,000

$34,970
$75,001 – $110,000

$37,842
Over $110,000

$48,089

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.

$5,157

10% percentile

$9,800

25% percentile

$25,325

Median percentile

$30,125

75% percentile

$33,998

90% 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 $23,549 ↓ $1,776

No Pell $18,348 ↓ $6,977

Dependent students $21,500 ↓ $3,825

Independent students $16,559 ↓ $8,766

Female students $19,039 ↓ $6,286

Male students $22,476 ↓ $2,849

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,750, less than completers ($25,325), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

62% of full-time students who enrolled at Drexel University graduate within six years, and 90% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

62%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

90%

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 Drexel University earn a median of $84,648 ten years after first enrolling. That's well above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$84,648

Earning > $25K

89%

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

$72,000

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$83,100

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$94,200

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$72,800

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$72,700

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $11,100, about 13% 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 ↑ 7.5 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Excellent. 92% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Drexel University is home to 13,233 students, a large student community.

Total Enrolled

13,233

Part-Time

First-Generation

29%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 40.4% 5,351

Asian 24.3% 3,214

Black 10.2% 1,350

Hispanic 9.1% 1,204

International 9.1% 1,198

Other 4.7% 625

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Drexel University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Large City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Housing

Partly residential 3,361 beds available

Adult Learners

7% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Quarter scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Drexel University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 242 distinct programs across 29 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.

40 Programs

Health

Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Medicine $67K typical

31 Programs

Business

Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)
Business $68K ($48K–$95K)
Marketing $69K ($50K–$93K)

32 Programs

Engineering

Mechanical Engineering $92K ($78K–$109K)
Computer Engineering $109K ($86K–$145K)
Bioengineering $93K ($74K–$114K)

15 Programs

Computer Science

Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)
IT Administration $85K ($59K–$118K)
Information Science $85K ($60K–$117K)

19 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Ecology $49K ($36K–$64K)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences $66K ($43K–$91K)

9 Programs

Visual & Performing Arts

Design $51K ($33K–$71K)
Arts Therapy $48K ($32K–$65K)
Film & Video Production $44K ($26K–$63K)

10 Programs

Interdisciplinary Studies

4 Programs

Legal Studies

Law $143K ($74K–$297K)
Legal Research $63K ($47K–$84K)
Legal Research $63K ($47K–$84K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Drexel University is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).

Student : Faculty

9:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$1.4B

Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability

Avg Faculty Salary

$111,753

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

1,199 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	265	22%	$167,663
Associate Professors	208	17%	$128,248
Assistant Professors	142	12%	$102,101
Instructors	584	49%	$80,717

Pros & Cons of Drexel University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Drexel University 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)
Strong first-year retention
Above-average post-graduation earnings

CONS

High net price compared to most US colleges
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)

Best for: Based on the data, Drexel University 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 Drexel University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Drexel University.

Is Drexel University hard to get into?

Drexel University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 79.4%.

What is the acceptance rate at Drexel University?

Drexel University has an acceptance rate of 79.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Drexel University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Drexel University scored between 1240 and 1440 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

What ACT score do you need for Drexel University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Drexel University scored between 27 and 32 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Drexel University cost?

The average net price after aid at Drexel University is $38,509 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Drexel University worth it?

Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $84,648 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $38,509 per year. That's roughly 2.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Drexel University known for?

Drexel University is best known for its programs in Nursing, Accounting, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Drexel University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Drexel University are $84,648, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Drexel University accredited?

Yes. Drexel University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How many students attend Drexel University?

Drexel University enrolls 13,233 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Drexel University?

Drexel University graduates 62% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Drexel University a public or private college?

Drexel University is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Drexel University located?

Drexel University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What programs does Drexel University offer?

Drexel University offers 242 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Accounting, Nursing.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Drexel University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Drexel University is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.