Admit rate has ranged 60%–78% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Lourdes University, a small Catholic institution in Sylvania, Ohio, offers a values-centered education with a surprisingly robust nursing program and a 74% acceptance rate. Known for its tight-knit community and Franciscan traditions, it delivers modest outcomes (28% six-year graduation rate) but boasts a 99% career/graduate school placement rate for recent graduates.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
543
In-state tuition
$29,500
Out-of-state tuition
$29,500
Campus Setting
Suburban (Sylvania, OH)
Acceptance Rate
74%
Most Popular Major
Nursing (37% of grads)
Student-Faculty Ratio
Not reported in sources
6-Year Graduation Rate
28%
Median Earnings After 6 Years
$40,158
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$48,150
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.1×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
32%
First-year retention
87%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
35%
Pell (lower-income) share
56%
First-generation share
34%
Endowment / student
$17,389
Financial health
1.5 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$58,249
Business Administration, Management and Operations$45,198
Human Resources Management and Services$44,384
Accounting and Related Services$41,937
Social Work$37,088
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
89
Summer high
82°F
Winter low
24°F
Annual rain
35.7"
Annual snow
24.7"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
38
Scholarly works
702
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
0.2%
Bottom → top quintile
3%
From bottom quintile
5%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Lourdes University?
Lourdes University's acceptance rate is approximately 74% (Sylvania, OH), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Lourdes University cost?
At Lourdes University, the average net price (after aid) is about $23,206 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Lourdes University?
Lourdes University enrolls approximately 543 undergraduate students.
Where is Lourdes University located?
Lourdes University is located in Sylvania, OH.
Admissions
Lourdes University is decidedly not selective, with a 74% acceptance rate (490 admits from 661 applicants in 2024). The school is test-optional, emphasizing flexibility for applicants. No SAT/ACT score benchmarks are published, but PrepScholar notes the school's open admissions stance aligns with its mission of accessibility. Gender Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hover near parity, with no significant disparities reported.
Nursing dominates academics at Lourdes, accounting for 37% of graduates—far outpacing business (17%) and biology (14%). The university recently expanded offerings with , including Environmental Studies and Cybersecurity, signaling a push toward contemporary fields. Small class sizes are the norm, with most majors housed under the liberal arts umbrella. Regional accreditation comes from the Higher Learning Commission, though specialized programs like nursing hold additional credentials.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$35,060
Psychology, General$33,993
Criminal Justice and Corrections$31,305
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
The Franciscan emphasis on community over competition shapes campus culture. Instagram posts showcase tight-knit gatherings, from liturgy to intramurals. Housing is limited—most students commute—but those who stay describe a supportive environment. Niche reviews highlight the safety of the suburban Sylvania campus, though some note a lack of vibrant nightlife. Traditions include service-oriented events tied to Catholic values, like poverty awareness weeks.
The six-year graduation rate sits at just 28%, lagging behind national averages. However, the university reports a 99% placement rate for graduates entering careers or grad school within a year—though this figure comes from a small sample (93% response rate). Median earnings six years out are $40,158, about 8% below the national median. Pell Grant recipients graduate at a 32% rate, suggesting socioeconomic disparities persist.
The net price averages $22,614 after aid, though the university's calculator suggests individualized estimates vary widely. Merit scholarships are plentiful but modest—most awards range from $5,000-$10,000 annually. The financial aid office emphasizes stacking grants, with 85% of students receiving some form of assistance. Loan defaults hover near the national average, signaling manageable debt burdens for most graduates.
Lourdes carves a niche as a values-driven alternative to secular Ohio schools, especially for nursing candidates who want small cohorts. Its Franciscan identity fosters an unusually supportive environment—think professors who know students' names and mandatory service learning. While graduation rates are concerning, the near-perfect job placement suggests those who persist find traction. Best for: Commuters seeking affordable degrees, future nurses, and students craving mentorship over prestige.
