Admit rate has ranged 62%–81% 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.
The University of Dayton is a mid-sized Catholic university with a tight-knit, porch-clad neighborhood vibe and a surprising punch in entrepreneurship and engineering. With a 65% acceptance rate and a 'test-optional' policy, UD attracts students who thrive in a community-focused environment where 97% of grads land jobs or grad school spots—often with starting salaries nearing $62K. Its fixed net tuition model and strong financial aid (52% of students receive aid) make its private education more predictable than most.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
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
7,682
In-state tuition
$49,140
Out-of-state tuition
$49,140
Acceptance Rate
65.4%
Avg. Starting Salary
$61,798
6-Year Graduation Rate
82%
Post-Grad Success Rate
97%
Avg. Financial Aid Package
$40,802
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$75,537
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.6×
Median debt at graduation
$23,250
Graduation rate
80%
First-year retention
89%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
84%
Pell (lower-income) share
26%
First-generation share
10%
Endowment / student
$112,667
Financial health
3.0 / 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.
Computer Engineering$74,576
Chemical Engineering$72,274
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$70,456
Mechanical Engineering$68,688
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians$67,660
Management Information Systems and Services
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
49
Per 1,000 students
6.38
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
83°F
Winter low
27°F
Annual rain
42.6"
Annual snow
18.7"
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
286
Scholarly works
22,921
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
0.6%
Bottom → top quintile
37%
From bottom quintile
2%
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 University of Dayton?
University of Dayton's acceptance rate is approximately 65% (Dayton, OH), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for University of Dayton?
Admitted students at University of Dayton typically score 1200–1380 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does University of Dayton cost?
At University of Dayton, the average net price (after aid) is about $29,533 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend University of Dayton?
University of Dayton enrolls approximately 7,682 undergraduate students.
Where is University of Dayton located?
University of Dayton is located in Dayton, OH.
Admissions
Dayton’s admissions tilt toward accessibility, with a 65.4% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. (14,386 admits from 21,981 applications in 2024) and a Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. policy that lets applicants skip SAT/ACT scores. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1200–1360 on the SAT (Critical Reading: 590–690, Math: 590–690) or 24–31 on the ACT. Notably, admissions grew by 2.59% year-over-year, suggesting rising interest. The university emphasizes transparency, publishing Common Data Set (CDS)A standardized report most colleges publish each year with admissions, test-score, and financial-aid figures, making schools easier to compare. figures on enrollment and diversity.
UD offers 80+ undergraduate programs and 50 graduate options, with standouts in (ranked #19 nationally) and engineering. Popular majors include Psychology (5% of degrees), Early Childhood Education (3%), Biology (3%), and Accounting (3%). The College of Arts and Sciences anchors a curriculum designed to 'lead for the common good,' blending professional preparation with liberal arts. Students praise the 'professional and challenging' courses, with faculty noted for being 'kind and encouraging.'
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.
$63,749
Civil Engineering$62,707
Accounting and Related Services$58,152
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.
Life at UD revolves around its porch-clad student neighborhood—a one-of-a-kind setup where Greek life is minimal ('non-existent,' per Reddit) but community thrives. With 240+ student orgs, Division I basketball fandom, and a 'charming small-town atmosphere,' the campus balances tradition (like arts events at the downtown Dayton arts district) with practicality (solid dorm and food reviews). Critics note the lack of football culture, but fans argue the tight-knit vibe more than compensates.
UD delivers strong ROI: 97% of recent grads secured jobs or grad school spots within a year, with an average starting salary of $61,798 (up from $59,766 in 2024). The 82% six-year graduation rate outpaces national averages, and 66% finish in four years. Alumni median earnings one year post-graduation hit $36,427, though this figure likely underrepresents later-career bumps (especially for engineering and biz grads). The Flyer First Destination Survey underscores UD’s career-prep focus.
UD’s fixed net tuition model locks in costs for all four years, offering predictability rare in private education. The sticker price runs high ($50,610 tuition), but 52.91% of students receive financial aid, slashing the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. to $31,551 with aid packages averaging $40,802. Scholarships (like the textbook scholarship) and grants ease the load, and the university’s net price calculator helps families plan. For context, the median federal loan debt per borrower is $27,000.
Dayton’s porch-clad neighborhood isn’t just aesthetic—it fosters a communal ethos where students bond over basketball (a Division I obsession) and service projects. Its #19-ranked entrepreneurship program and engineering strengths defy its mid-size profile, while the 97% post-grad success rate validates its blend of academics and real-world prep. The fixed tuition model and robust aid (52% of students) make it a pragmatic choice among Catholic universities. For students seeking a tight-knit campus with big outcomes, UD delivers.
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