DePaul Acceptance Rate
The DePaul acceptance rate is 75.9% for the 2024-25 cycle. DePaul University received 31,266 applications, admitted 23,729 students and enrolled 2,566.
The figure worth more of your attention is the yield: just 11% of admitted students actually enrolled. Nearly nine in ten people DePaul accepts go somewhere else. That is not a comment on quality, it is what happens when an accessible private university sits in a city with dozens of alternatives, and it tells you something useful about how to treat a DePaul offer in your own decision.
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DePaul Acceptance Rate at a Glance
| Metric | 2024-25 cycle |
| Acceptance rate | 75.9% |
| Applicants | 31,266 |
| Admitted | 23,729 |
| Enrolled | 2,566 |
| Yield rate | 11% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.8 |
| Enrolled students with a 4.0 | 37% |
| SAT, mid-50% | 1140 to 1330 (31% submitted) |
| Average SAT | About 1240 |
| ACT, mid-50% | 25 to 31 (12% submitted) |
| Average ACT | About 28 |
What GPA Do You Need for DePaul?
An average admitted GPA of 3.8 with 37% of enrolled students holding a 4.0 tells you DePaul cares about sustained classroom performance more than test-day performance.
At a 75.9% acceptance rate, a student with a solid B+ average and the required college-preparatory coursework is in strong shape. DePaul also requires recommendations, which is less common at universities with this acceptance rate and suggests the file is read rather than filtered by numbers alone.
If your GPA sits below 3.4, the test-optional policy is worth reconsidering. Submitting a score at or above 1240 SAT or 28 ACT gives the reader a second data point, which helps when the transcript is the weaker part of the application.
Is DePaul Hard to Get Into?
No. At 75.9% DePaul is among the more accessible private universities in a major US city, and it is a sensible target or safety school for most applicants with a B average and complete coursework.
Within Illinois, the contrast across the state is instructive:
| Institution | Acceptance rate |
| University of Chicago | About 5% |
| UIUC | 36.6% |
| DePaul | 75.9% |
| Illinois State | 88.2% |
Our guide to colleges in Illinois sets out the full range for building a balanced list. DePaul's natural role on most lists is the accessible Chicago option that still puts you in the city.
Why the Yield Is Only 11%
Three structural reasons, and each one is worth knowing before you accept.
It competes in a saturated market. Illinois has 245 institutions. A student admitted to DePaul is often also holding offers from UIC, Loyola Chicago, a state school and possibly UIUC.
Cost against the public alternatives. DePaul is private, and Illinois in-state tuition averages $19,352. For a price-sensitive Illinois resident, UIC or Illinois State is materially cheaper, and that decides a lot of these choices.
High acceptance rates attract insurance applications. At nearly 76%, many students apply as a backup without intending to enrol, which inflates the denominator.
What this means for you: if DePaul is a genuine first choice, say so through campus visits and a specific supplemental essay. In a pool where most admits leave, demonstrated interest carries weight.
The Two-Campus Split, and Why It Decides Your Housing
This is the part that affects your daily life more than the acceptance rate, and most guides skip it entirely.
DePaul runs two main campuses roughly four miles apart:
Lincoln Park houses the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Health, the School of Music and the Theatre School. It is a leafy, residential North Side neighbourhood and where most undergraduate housing sits.
The Loop campus downtown houses the Driehaus College of Business, the College of Computing and Digital Media, the College of Law and the School of Public Service.
The CTA Red and Brown Lines connect them, and DePaul runs an intercampus shuttle. But if your programme is split across both, or you take electives outside your college, you will commute between them regularly during the week.
Before you choose a neighbourhood, map your actual timetable. A student entirely in Lincoln Park and a student entirely in the Loop should not live in the same place, and a student split between them wants to be on the line that connects the two.
Where DePaul Students Live
| Area | Typical 2026 monthly cost |
| Lincoln Park | $750 to $3,200 depending on room type |
| Lakeview, shared | $750 to $1,300 |
| The Loop and South Loop, studio or one bedroom | $1,600 to $2,500 |
| Hyde Park, shared | $800 to $1,300 |
Lincoln Park is the traditional DePaul neighbourhood and its range is wide: a room in a shared apartment sits near the bottom, a studio near the top. Lakeview, one neighbourhood north, is consistently cheaper and still on the Red and Brown Lines.
Three things worth knowing about renting in Chicago as a DePaul student:
- Chicago does not run on a single lease date. Unlike Boston's September 1 cycle, leases here start year-round and nine-month or academic-year terms are more widely available. Ask for one if you go home over the summer.
- Security deposits must be returned within 45 days of move-out under Chicago rules. Some buildings charge a non-refundable move-in fee instead, which is a different thing with different protections. Confirm which you are paying.
- Photograph every room at move-in. It is the only reliable protection for a deposit.
Acolyte Living lists verified options for DePaul's Lincoln Park campus and across Chicago. For specific buildings, see our guides to MDA Apartments Chicago and Tailor Lofts Chicago, both in the downtown area that suits Loop campus students.
Take our apartment tour checklist to viewings. International students should read renting without a credit history in the USA and co-signing student leases in the USA before applying for anything, because a guarantor takes weeks to arrange.
Who DePaul Suits
A strong fit if you want a private university in Chicago without Ivy-level selectivity, your strength is a consistent transcript rather than test scores, you are drawn to a specific programme in business, computing, theatre or music, or you want to be in a real city neighbourhood rather than a contained campus.
Think carefully if you are an Illinois resident on a tight budget, since UIC and Illinois State are materially cheaper. Also reconsider if you want a single unified campus, or if you dislike commuting, because the Lincoln Park and Loop split is a genuine daily factor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DePaul acceptance rate?
DePaul's acceptance rate is 75.9% for the 2024-25 cycle, from 31,266 applicants and 23,729 admissions.
What GPA do you need for DePaul University?
The average admitted high school GPA is 3.8, and 37% of enrolled students had a 4.0. A solid B+ average with college-preparatory coursework puts you in strong shape.
Is DePaul test-optional?
Yes, DePaul is test-optional for 2026-27. Only 31% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores and 12% submitted ACT scores. Homeschooled applicants and student-athletes must still submit.
What SAT score do you need for DePaul?
The mid-50% SAT range is 1140 to 1330 with an average around 1240. The ACT range is 25 to 31 with an average around 28.
Is DePaul hard to get into?
No. At 75.9% it is among the more accessible private universities in a major US city and works well as a target or safety school.
Why is DePaul's yield rate so low?
Only 11% of admitted students enrol. DePaul competes against 245 Illinois institutions, costs more than the public alternatives, and attracts a high volume of insurance applications.
Does DePaul have two campuses?
Yes. Lincoln Park houses liberal arts, science and health, music and theatre. The Loop campus downtown houses business, computing and digital media, law and public service. The CTA and an intercampus shuttle connect them.
Where do DePaul students live?
Mostly Lincoln Park, where costs range from about $750 for a shared room to $3,200 for larger units, and Lakeview just north at $750 to $1,300 shared. Loop campus students often choose downtown studios at $1,600 to $2,500.
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The Bottom Line
The DePaul acceptance rate of 75.9% means admission is rarely the hard part. The decisions that matter come afterwards: whether a private Chicago education is worth the premium over UIC or Illinois State, and where to live given that your programme may be split between Lincoln Park and the Loop. Map your timetable before you pick a neighbourhood, and ask for a nine-month lease if you go home in summer.