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Duquesne University
Most applicants get into Duquesne University — 83.6% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
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Duquesne University sits in Pittsburgh proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. The school maintains its Roman Catholic affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, where graduates median $105,387 four years out. Faculty pay averages $122,448 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 5,350 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 84.2% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1160 and 1350 — above the PA middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Duquesne University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Duquesne University is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1160–1350 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Duquesne University's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 590 | 630 | 680 |
| SAT Math | 570 | 620 | 670 |
| ACT Composite | 26 | 27 | 31 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Duquesne University received 14,112 applications and admitted 11,128 (78.9%), with 1,477 enrolling.
How Duquesne University compares
| Duquesne University | Pennsylvania median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 83.6% | 82% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $48,986 | $33,730 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $74,742 | $62,101 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Duquesne University student earns $74,742 — 20% above the Pennsylvania median of $62,101 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
Duquesne University lists tuition at $48,986 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Duquesne University's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $48,986 as the ceiling, not the bill.
Duquesne University enrolls 5,350 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs Duquesne University's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
77.5% of Duquesne University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 22.6 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $48,986 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Duquesne University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $105,387 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $95,128 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $92,789 |
| Computer Science | $92,606 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $88,272 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $86,169 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $84,802 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $83,781 |
| International Business | $78,157 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $77,822 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $72,059 |
| Biology, General | $70,958 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $69,977 |
| Marketing | $66,542 |
| Political Science and Government | $66,444 |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $65,898 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $65,169 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $64,538 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $64,196 |
| Mathematics | $64,164 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $62,319 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $60,310 |
| Sociology | $55,050 |
| Journalism | $54,081 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $54,025 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $50,794 |
| History | $50,090 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $49,883 |
| Psychology, General | $48,850 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $48,096 |
| Music | $46,217 |
Median earnings for these 31 Duquesne University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $74,742 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 30 additional Duquesne University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Duquesne University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1160–1350 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 83.6% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Duquesne University's acceptance rate?
78.9% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 11,128 admitted from 14,112 applicants.
How much does Duquesne University cost?
At Duquesne University, published tuition is $48,986 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Duquesne University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Duquesne University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $74,742 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Pennsylvania
- Drexel University — 79.4% admitted
- Elizabethtown College — 77.9% admitted
- Gannon University — 74.2% admitted
- Chestnut Hill College — 74.5% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.