Temple University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 20,970 students (a very 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.
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
Outcomes77
Value31
Affordability34
Selectivity42
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 80.4%, Temple University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
80.4%
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 Temple University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
22.9 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Temple 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 $28,198 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$28,198
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
32%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
53%
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 (in-state)
$23,011
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$38,958
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,690
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,690
Books & Supplies
$1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,555
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,555
Total Cost of Attendance
$40,903
Application fee: $55 (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
$22,694
$30,001 – $48,000
$23,431
$48,001 – $75,000
$26,534
$75,001 – $110,000
$29,397
Over $110,000
$34,947
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
$11,00025%percentile
$24,395Medianpercentile
$28,50075%percentile
$36,45890%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 $21,500
↓ $2,895
No Pell $18,500
↓ $5,895
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $4,895
Independent students $22,000
↓ $2,395
Female students $20,500
↓ $3,895
Male students $19,500
↓ $4,895
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,996, less than completers ($24,395), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of full-time students who enrolled at Temple University graduate within six years, and 83% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
83%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Temple University earn a median of $63,727 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$63,727
Earning > $25K
83%
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
$55,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$63,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$65,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$55,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$57,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,400, about 12% 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 ↑
15.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 87% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Temple University is home to 20,970 students, a sprawling student community.
Total Enrolled
20,970
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
30%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 40.3%8,455
Black 20.4%4,278
Asian 15.3%3,202
Hispanic 10.9%2,277
Other 4.9%1,034
International 3.9%818
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Temple University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Housing
Partly residential5,061 beds available
Adult Learners
8%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Temple University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
241 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Temple University is 12:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$4.0B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$112,018
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
2,171 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
645
30%
$154,582
Associate Professors
752
35%
$105,796
Assistant Professors
708
33%
$85,212
Instructors
66
3%
$66,595
Pros & Cons of Temple University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Temple 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)
Above-average graduation rate
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Best for:
Based on the data, Temple University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Temple University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Temple University.
Is Temple University hard to get into?
Temple University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 80.4%.
What is the acceptance rate at Temple University?
Temple University has an acceptance rate of 80.4%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Temple University cost?
The average net price after aid at Temple University is $28,198 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Temple University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $63,727 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $28,198 per year. That's roughly 2.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Temple University known for?
Temple University is best known for its programs in Psychology, Information Systems, Medicine. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Temple University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Temple University are $63,727, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Temple University accredited?
Yes. Temple University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Temple University?
Temple University enrolls 20,970 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Temple University?
Temple University graduates 69% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Temple University a public or private college?
Temple University is a Public institution.
Where is Temple University located?
Temple University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Temple University offer?
Temple University offers 241 distinct programs. The most popular include Psychology, Information Systems, Medicine.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Temple University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Temple University is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Other colleges in Pennsylvania 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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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
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