DePaul University tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at DePaul University is $63,052 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $30,902 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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What your family pays
$30,902 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $63,052. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$45,999
Housing & meals$18,468
Books & supplies$1,104
Personal & travel$2,766
Living-at-home adjustment−$5,285
Total cost of attendance$63,052

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$19,383
Loan default rate3.7%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out28%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants32%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$32,150Sticker price minus average net price

College Scorecard

Need-based and merit aid at DePaul University

What DePaul University reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.

If you qualify for need-based aid

Share of need met, on average73%Of students awarded need-based aid; excludes parent and unsubsidized loans
Students with need who had all of it met15%274 of 1,793
Average need-based grant$32,136
Average aid package$35,660Grants, work-study and need-based loans

If you don't qualify for need-based aid

Average merit scholarship from the college$23,084Students with no financial need; excludes athletic awards and tuition benefits
Students without need who got one95%721 first-year students

Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.

DePaul University net price compared with other Illinois colleges

DePaul University has the 49th-lowest average net price of 52 Illinois colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
44Columbia College Chicago$26,59852%$42,195
45Wheaton College$26,97585%$63,756
46Illinois Wesleyan University$28,19975%$70,871
47Lake Forest College$28,67378%$61,825
48Northwestern University$29,16795%$89,363
49DePaul University$30,90268%$68,751
50Loyola University Chicago$36,07973%$71,530
51Methodist College$41,78720%$69,800
52School of the Art Institute of Chicago$49,79067%$40,151

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Illinois colleges →

Why DePaul University costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
DePaul University76%$30,90268%$68,751This school
Loyola University Chicago82%$36,07973%$71,530
School of the Art Institute of Chicago77%$49,79067%$40,151
Lewis University71%$17,02867%$66,099
Elmhurst University74%$24,18570%$61,462

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

DePaul University would cost you $5,177 less per year than Loyola University Chicago, on average.

  • Lower sticker price at DePaul University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$7,711).
  • DePaul University gives aided families $821 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Illinois residentDePaul UniversityLoyola University ChicagoDifference
Tuition & fees$45,999$53,710−$7,711
Books & supplies$1,104$1,200−$96
Housing & meals$18,468$16,894+$1,574
Personal & travel$2,766$1,600+$1,166
Living-at-home adjustment−$5,285−$5,996+$711
Sticker price$63,052$67,408−$4,356
Average grants−$32,150−$31,329−$821
You pay$30,902$36,079−$5,177

“+” means DePaul University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

DePaul University cost questions

How much is tuition at DePaul University?

Tuition and fees are $45,999 a year.

What is the total cost of attending DePaul University?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $63,052 a year.

What do families actually pay at DePaul University?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $30,902 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $27,359; $48–75k pay $28,687; $110k+ pay $37,092.

Does DePaul University give merit scholarships?

For fall 2025, 721 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from DePaul University, averaging $23,084 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 73% of it met on average.

How much debt do DePaul University graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $19,383, and 3.7% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is DePaul University the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to DePaul University overview