Public Graduate Good 69/100

University of the District of Columbia

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

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Washington, District of Columbia

About University of the District of Columbia

Thinking about University of the District of Columbia, a college in District of Columbia where more students graduate in Business 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.

University of the District of Columbia is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Washington, District of Columbia. It enrolls 3,351 students (a mid-sized 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
20.8%
Net Price
$10,648
Median Earnings (10yr)
$44,236
Enrollment
3,351
Student : Faculty
6:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education
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
69/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 50
Value 66
Affordability 54
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

University of the District of Columbia 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 Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.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. At $10,648 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$10,648
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
19%
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)
$5,662
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,514
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,224
Books & Supplies
$1,149
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,437

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
    $10,268
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $10,399
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $10,557
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $16,312

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.

$2,500
10% percentile
$4,750
25% percentile
$24,872
Median percentile
$24,500
75% percentile
$39,750
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 $15,000 ↓ $9,872
No Pell $11,000 ↓ $13,872
Dependent students $10,250 ↓ $14,622
Independent students $19,000 ↓ $5,872
Female students $15,000 ↓ $9,872
Male students $12,500 ↓ $12,372
Pell recipients: 18.1% (4,509 students)No Pell: 13.3% (3,306 students)Dependent students: 12.4% (3,081 students)Independent students: 23.0% (5,711 students)Female students: 18.1% (4,509 students)Male students: 15.1% (3,757 students)Overall Median$24,872
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($24,872), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

21% of students who start here finish within six years, and 67% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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
21%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $44,236 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,236
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$35,000$38,000$40,000$43,000$45,0006 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
$38,100

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

Male graduates
$41,900

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

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 ↑ 20.3 pts across 6 years
38.7%1yr47.3%3yr57.1%5yr59%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 59% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 3,351 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 51% are the first in their family to go to college, and 58% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
3,351
Part-Time
58%
First-Generation
51%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Black 56.5% 1,892
Hispanic 26.5% 888
International 3.4% 114
White 3.3% 110
Other 2.7% 89
Asian 1.5% 50
Black: 56.5% (1,892 students)Hispanic: 26.5% (888 students)International: 3.4% (114 students)White: 3.3% (110 students)Other: 2.7% (89 students)Asian: 1.5% (50 students)Total3,351

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Large City Washington, District of Columbia
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
55% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Historically Black College / University (HBCU)

What You Can Study

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

University of the District of Columbia offers an extensive catalog of programs: 65 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.

9 Programs
6 Programs
4 Programs
1 Program
6 Programs
3 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 6 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
6:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,481
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$59M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$85,609
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

236 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 47 20% $111,022
Associate Professors 67 28% $87,469
Assistant Professors 104 44% $75,113
Instructors 18 8% $72,967

Pros & Cons of University of the District of Columbia

No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of the District of Columbia 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
  • Below-average net price
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, University of the District of Columbia is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about University of the District of Columbia

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

How much does University of the District of Columbia cost?
Budget around $10,648 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is University of the District of Columbia worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $44,236 a year against a net price of $10,648, about 4.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is University of the District of Columbia known for?
Mostly Education, General, Business Administration, Liberal Arts. 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 University of the District of Columbia graduates earn?
About $44,236 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 University of the District of Columbia accredited?
Yes. University of the District of Columbia is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend University of the District of Columbia?
3,351 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of the District of Columbia?
21% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of the District of Columbia a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is University of the District of Columbia located?
University of the District of Columbia is located in Washington, District of Columbia.
What programs does University of the District of Columbia offer?
65 different programs, most commonly Education, General, Business Administration, Liberal Arts. 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 University of the District of Columbia?
6 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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