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Valparaiso University

Valparaiso University is a private campus in suburban Valparaiso, IN. The school reports a Lutheran Church in America affiliation in its federal filings.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$14,476

family income
under $30k

$15,334

$30–48k

$20,556

$48–75k

$23,539

$75–110k

$26,871

over $110k

Average net price

$18,5782023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Valparaiso University has wandered from 2008 to 2023 — up to $27,690 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at $18,578.

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$20,107
2009	$18,882
2010	$20,401
2011	$19,779
2012	$19,952
2013	$20,431
2014	$20,626
2015	$20,871
2016	$21,946
2017	$21,635
2018	$18,852
2019	$22,899
2020	$25,802
2021	$27,690
2022	$21,583
2023	$18,578

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$58,4372024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Valparaiso University rose from $36,641 (2009) to $58,437 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$36,641
2010	$38,022
2011	$39,887
2012	$41,400
2013	$43,185
2014	$44,674
2015	$45,945
2016	$47,855
2017	$49,398
2018	$51,215
2019	$51,907
2020	$53,847
2021	$55,483
2022	$56,969
2023	$57,393
2024	$58,437

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$17,636
2001	$18,700
2002	$19,632
2003	$20,638
2004	$21,700
2005	$22,750
2006	$24,000
2007	$25,200
2008	$26,950
2013	$33,480
2014	$34,760
2015	$36,160
2016	$37,450
2017	$38,760
2018	$40,260
2019	$41,820
2020	$43,286
2021	$44,796
2022	$44,796
2023	$46,588

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Valparaiso University reports published tuition of $48,450 in this record. Valparaiso University's $48,450 tuition excludes other attendance costs; aid can reduce the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Valparaiso University reports 2,083 undergraduate students. Enrollment is a headcount, not a measure of teaching access.

70.4% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Valparaiso University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

70.4%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Valparaiso University has held near 70.4% from Fall 1991 to Fall 2018 entering cohorts.

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	68.5%
1992 cohort	66.7%
1993 cohort	73.1%
1994 cohort	73.1%
1995 cohort	73.3%
1996 cohort	73%
1997 cohort	72.5%
1998 cohort	73.6%
1999 cohort	71.1%
2000 cohort	76.1%
2001 cohort	77.4%
2002 cohort	74.6%
2003 cohort	76.1%
2004 cohort	70.4%
2005 cohort	70.8%
2006 cohort	73.7%
2007 cohort	70.1%
2008 cohort	67.2%
2009 cohort	66.8%
2010 cohort	65.7%
2011 cohort	72.2%
2012 cohort	71%
2013 cohort	71.4%
2014 cohort	65.5%
2015 cohort	74.5%
2016 cohort	69.8%
2017 cohort	67%
2018 cohort	70.4%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

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Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$16,635	$6,740
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$17,118	$4,125
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$17,125	$3,523
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$17,125	$10,474
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$18,810	$13,850
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$16,767	$14,088
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$17,125	$13,996
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$17,125	$9,261
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$17,125	$4,590
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$17,125	$4,000
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$17,125	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$17,125	$5,750
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$19,125	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$22,000	$7,625
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$24,000	$8,248
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$25,750	$10,000
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$27,000	$10,700
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$27,000	$8,751
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$27,000	$9,250
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$27,000	$9,250
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$27,000	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$27,000	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$27,000	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$26,942	$8,751

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$55,216

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$59,972

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$63,191

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Valparaiso University admitted 5,544 of 6,199 applicants in Fall 2024. The 89.4% rate describes that application pool.

89.4%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $46,588 tuition · 2023–24 2,083 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1060–12801600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

Valparaiso University reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Valparaiso University’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 540–640 and Math was 520–640 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1060–1280 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	540	590	640
SAT Math	520	570	640
ACT Composite	23	27	31

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Valparaiso University received 6,199 applications and admitted 5,544 (89.4%), with 534 enrolling.

Acceptance rate

89.4%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	80%
Fall 2002	—
Fall 2003	81.9%
Fall 2004	80.2%
Fall 2005	82.9%
Fall 2006	89.3%
Fall 2007	90.2%
Fall 2008	91.8%
Fall 2009	91.2%
Fall 2010	84.5%
Fall 2011	74.3%
Fall 2012	79.6%
Fall 2013	79.7%
Fall 2014	82.4%
Fall 2015	81.9%
Fall 2016	82.9%
Fall 2017	84.3%
Fall 2018	89.3%
Fall 2019	85.9%
Fall 2020	86.6%
Fall 2021	93.2%
Fall 2022	94.2%
Fall 2023	92.2%
Fall 2024	89.4%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1060–1280Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	1060	1300
Fall 2002	1060	1280
Fall 2003	1050	1290
Fall 2004	1060	1270
Fall 2005	1040	1270
Fall 2006	1020	1270
Fall 2007	990	1250
Fall 2008	990	1230
Fall 2009	980	1250
Fall 2010	1000	1220
Fall 2011	980	1220
Fall 2012	1010	1220
Fall 2013	1010	1210
Fall 2014	1000	1220
Fall 2015	1000	1230
Fall 2016	990	1200
Fall 2017	1060	1270
Fall 2018	1070	1270
Fall 2019	1070	1290
Fall 2020	1070	1280
Fall 2022	1140	1360
Fall 2023	1080	1310
Fall 2024	1060	1280

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

23–31Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	24	29
Fall 2002	23	29
Fall 2003	23	29
Fall 2004	23	29
Fall 2005	23	28
Fall 2006	22	28
Fall 2007	22	28
Fall 2008	22	28
Fall 2009	22	29
Fall 2010	23	29
Fall 2011	23	29
Fall 2012	23	29
Fall 2013	23	29
Fall 2014	23	29
Fall 2015	23	29
Fall 2016	23	29
Fall 2017	23	29
Fall 2018	23	29
Fall 2019	22	29
Fall 2020	22	29
Fall 2022	27	30
Fall 2023	25	30
Fall 2024	23	31

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

2,083Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Valparaiso University fell from 2,895 (Fall 2002) to 2,083 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	2,895
Fall 2003	3,003
Fall 2004	3,041
Fall 2005	2,918
Fall 2006	2,904
Fall 2007	2,834
Fall 2008	2,824
Fall 2009	2,823
Fall 2010	2,795
Fall 2011	2,785
Fall 2012	2,930
Fall 2013	3,209
Fall 2014	3,210
Fall 2015	3,125
Fall 2016	3,236
Fall 2017	3,186
Fall 2018	3,170
Fall 2019	2,965
Fall 2020	2,719
Fall 2021	2,493
Fall 2022	2,342
Fall 2023	2,229
Fall 2024	2,083

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

75%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Valparaiso University fell from 86% (Fall 2003) to 75% (Fall 2023).

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2003 cohort	86%
Fall 2004 cohort	84%
Fall 2005 cohort	81%
Fall 2006 cohort	85%
Fall 2007 cohort	85%
Fall 2008 cohort	83%
Fall 2009 cohort	82%
Fall 2010 cohort	81%
Fall 2011 cohort	87%
Fall 2012 cohort	86%
Fall 2013 cohort	84%
Fall 2014 cohort	82%
Fall 2015 cohort	86%
Fall 2016 cohort	83%
Fall 2017 cohort	80%
Fall 2018 cohort	84%
Fall 2019 cohort	83%
Fall 2020 cohort	81%
Fall 2021 cohort	77%
Fall 2022 cohort	79%
Fall 2023 cohort	75%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2003–2023

More about Valparaiso University

Faculty pay at Valparaiso University averages $97,524 a year, annualized from reported monthly pay. Carnegie classes Valparaiso University as a primarily residential campus of 2,083 undergraduates — and 75.4% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Valparaiso University's SAT section-percentile sums are 1060–1280 — their midpoint is above the IN four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Valparaiso University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Valparaiso University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Valparaiso University89.4%

Indiana median77.2%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Valparaiso University$48,450

Indiana median$32,352

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Valparaiso University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Valparaiso University$63,191

Indiana median$52,071

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Valparaiso University, Indiana and national reference values
Metric & basis	Valparaiso University	Indiana median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	89.4%	77.2%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$48,450	$32,352	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$63,191	$52,071	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Valparaiso University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Valparaiso University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 28 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General	$115,095
Computer Engineering	$96,079
Computer Science	$94,111
Mechanical Engineering	$90,583
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	$87,944
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods	$86,317
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	$81,278
Civil Engineering	$80,173
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$78,163
Finance and Financial Management Services	$73,880
Accounting and Related Services	$71,848
Marketing	$66,773
Criminology	$63,772
Chemistry	$62,245
Mathematics	$61,564
Biology, General	$61,072
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$60,612
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	$60,092
Psychology, General	$58,104
Social Work	$57,609
Political Science and Government	$56,054
Health and Medical Administrative Services	$55,485
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$54,933
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$53,495
English Language and Literature, General	$52,439
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	$50,588
Communication and Media Studies	$50,325
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$47,644

These 28 fields listed for Valparaiso University measure earnings after completion. The $63,191 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 31 additional Valparaiso University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Valparaiso University report?

Valparaiso University's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1060–1280 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Valparaiso University's acceptance rate?

89.4% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 5,544 admitted from 6,199 applicants.

How much does Valparaiso University cost?

At Valparaiso University, tuition is $48,450. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Valparaiso University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $63,191. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Indiana

Trine University — 85.5% admitted
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne — 96% admitted
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion — 88.9% admitted
Marian University — 95.5% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.