Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 62/100

Rush University

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

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Chicago, Illinois

About Rush University

Thinking about Rush University, a college in Illinois where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Rush University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Chicago, Illinois. It enrolls 138 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
—
Net Price
—
Median Earnings (10yr)
$75,194
Enrollment
138
Student : Faculty
5:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
62/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes —
Value —
Affordability 45
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Rush University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. Rush University has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.

Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
37%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
47%
Borrowing to attend

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.

$3,668
10% percentile
$10,668
25% percentile
$21,988
Median percentile
$29,514
75% percentile
$33,334
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 $24,791 ↑ $2,803
No Pell $15,335 ↓ $6,653
Dependent students $18,834 ↓ $3,154
Independent students $24,000 ↑ $2,012
Female students $18,917 ↓ $3,071
Male students $27,879 ↑ $5,891
Pell recipients: 19.1% (4,201 students)No Pell: 11.8% (2,599 students)Dependent students: 14.5% (3,192 students)Independent students: 18.5% (4,067 students)Female students: 14.6% (3,206 students)Male students: 21.5% (4,724 students)Overall Median$21,988
What this means: 37% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.

Graduation Rate & Retention

Rush University has not reported completion figures. That is common for smaller and newer schools, but it is worth asking directly how many students finish, because a degree you do not complete still has to be paid for.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
—
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $75,194 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$75,194
Earning > $25K
86%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$73,000$77,000$81,000$85,000$89,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$110,500

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

Male graduates
$177,600

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$144,500

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

Family income (middle third)
$99,900

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

Family income (highest third)
$91,000

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $67,100, about 38% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 138 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 47% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
138
Part-Time
40%
First-Generation
47%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 34.1% 47
White 27.5% 38
Black 21.7% 30
Asian 8.7% 12
Other 3.6% 5
Hispanic: 34.1% (47 students)White: 27.5% (38 students)Black: 21.7% (30 students)Asian: 8.7% (12 students)Other: 3.6% (5 students)Total138

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Large City Chicago, Illinois
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
62% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Biology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Rush University offers a varied set of programs: 20 distinct programs across 3 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.

16 Programs
3 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 5 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
5:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$2.7B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$118,534
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

1,066 instructional faculty across 6 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 171 16% $264,284
Associate Professors 228 21% $160,052
Assistant Professors 585 55% $95,466
Instructors 53 5% $53,724
Lecturers 5 0% $44,913
No Rank 24 2% $45,213

Pros & Cons of Rush University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Rush University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Best for: Based on the data, Rush University is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rush University

The questions families ask most about Rush University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

What is Rush University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Nursing, Medicine. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Rush University graduates earn?
About $75,194 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Rush University accredited?
Yes. Rush University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Rush University?
138 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Rush University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Rush University located?
Rush University is located in Chicago, Illinois.
What programs does Rush University offer?
20 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Nursing, Medicine. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Rush University?
5 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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