Admit rate has ranged 23%–31% over the last 5 years. 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.
Villanova University blends rigorous academics with a tight-knit Catholic community, producing graduates who excel in finance, nursing, and communications. With a 92% graduation rate and near-perfect career placement, it's a powerhouse where school spirit runs deep—especially when basketball season rolls around.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
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
6,938
In-state tuition
$67,776
Out-of-state tuition
$67,776
Acceptance Rate
27%
Graduation Rate
92%
Most Popular Majors
Finance, Nursing, Communications
Average Starting Salary
$79,854
Post-Grad Placement Rate
95.3%
Average Merit Scholarship
$42,088
Early Decision Acceptance Rate
50–60%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$100,423
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.3×
Median debt at graduation
$25,874
Graduation rate
92%
First-year retention
95%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
90%
Pell (lower-income) share
26%
First-generation share
13%
Endowment / student
$189,252
Financial health
2.8 / 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.
Business/Managerial Economics$90,856
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$74,576
Finance and Financial Management Services$73,579
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$73,052
Computer Engineering$72,214
Management Information Systems and Services
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
4
Per 1,000 students
0.58
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
92
Summer high
84°F
Winter low
29°F
Annual rain
51.6"
Annual snow
15.4"
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
312
Scholarly works
24,759
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
1.3%
Bottom → top quintile
58%
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 Villanova University?
Villanova University's acceptance rate is approximately 27% (Villanova, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Villanova University?
Admitted students at Villanova University typically score 1395–1510 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Villanova University cost?
At Villanova University, the average net price (after aid) is about $43,756 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Villanova University?
Villanova University enrolls approximately 6,938 undergraduate students.
Where is Villanova University located?
Villanova University is located in Villanova, PA.
Admissions
Villanova's admissions process is highly selective, with a 27% acceptance rate for the most recent cycle. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1410–1490 on the SAT or 33–35 on the ACT (though the university is 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. through 2031). Early Decision applicants enjoy a significant edge, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. around 50–60% compared to the regular pool. The enrolled undergraduate population skews slightly female (3,667 women vs. 3,067 men).
Villanova’s academic strengths lie in its practical, career-oriented programs, with finance, nursing, and communications as the most popular majors. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences emphasizes critical thinking and multidisciplinary learning, while 76% of courses incorporate writing-intensive components. Students praise professors for accessibility and mentorship, and the university’s reflects strong academic support. Notably, Catholicism informs campus culture but isn’t overbearing—students describe it as a 'background presence' rather than a constraint.
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.
$71,947
Mechanical Engineering$71,575
Real Estate$71,351
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 Villanova revolves around community and school spirit. The campus culture is highly engaged, with students juggling clubs, volunteer work, and Division I sports (basketball games are sacrosanct). Social life balances dorm hangouts with university-sponsored events, though some note that Greek life plays a quieter role than at peer institutions. The Augustinian Catholic identity fosters a culture of service, with opportunities like volunteering at local farms. One student summed it up: 'Your experience is what you make of it—but there’s always something happening.'
Villanova’s outcomes are stellar: 95.3% of the Class of 2024 secured employment or graduate school placements within six months of graduation, with an average starting salary of $79,854. The university’s 91–92% graduation rate (with most students finishing in four years) places it in the top 5% nationally. Alumni networks are particularly strong in finance and healthcare, with graduates earning $9,000 more than the expected median early-career salary for their fields.
Attending Villanova isn’t cheap, but the university meets 40.66% of demonstrated need with an average aid package of $55,035. The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid is $38,385, and merit scholarships average $42,088. Notably, Villanova’s grants are $9,221 higher than the national average for private universities, making it more accessible than sticker price suggests.
Villanova punches above its weight by combining elite outcomes with a collaborative, service-oriented culture. Its finance and nursing programs rival Ivy League pipelines, while the tight-knit campus—fueled by basketball mania—feels more like a family than a competitive pressure cooker. The secret sauce? A 92% graduation rate paired with near-perfect job placement, proving that 'Nova prepares students not just to succeed, but to lead.
Villanova University logo · sourceVisit Villanova | Villanova University · sourceMaps & Directions | Villanova University · sourceVillanova University - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges · source
