More selective than 67% of Ohio colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $65,881. College Scorecard.
Higher than 96% of Ohio colleges we cover and 90% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 98% of Ohio colleges we cover and 90% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Dayton acceptance rate & admissions
Of 22,747 applicants, University of Dayton admitted 14,023 and 1,904 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1200–1380 on the SAT or 25–31 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Dayton tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Ohio residents with household income up to $96,000 and a Student Aid Index of 3,750 or less may receive an Ohio College Opportunity Grant: up to $5,000 a year at private nonprofit colleges in 2026-27. Not included in the prices above. Ohio Department of Higher Education, OCOG 2026-27 award memo (FA27-001)
What University of Dayton costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Dayton took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Ohio. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $21,736 | $91,291 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $21,595 | $90,699 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $24,155 | $101,451 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $26,871 | $112,858 | 2.8 years |
| $110k+ | $33,731 | $141,670 | 3.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (66% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($75,537) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $40,099 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Dayton majors, earnings & careers
University of Dayton offers 63 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 10
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Science & Math · 10
- Engineering · 9
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Arts & Design · 5
- Education · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Dayton
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $116,356 | $26,090 |
| Physiology | $109,604 | — |
| Management Information Systems | $107,354 | $26,500 |
| Computer Science | $102,468 | $25,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $97,184 | $22,999 |
| Finance | $95,925 | $22,750 |
| Electrical Engineering | $95,595 | $26,625 |
| Business Administration | $92,317 | $23,364 |
Quick list of all 63 majors
- Accounting$90,314
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$67,414
- Business Administration$92,317
- Business Economics$84,595
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Chemical Engineering$97,184
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$83,460
- Communications$67,231
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Engineering$116,356
- Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer Science$102,468
- Criminal Justice$60,583
- Dietetics$60,873
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$53,448
- Economics$61,502
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,775
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Education, Other—
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Electrical Engineering$95,595
- English$57,868
- Entrepreneurship$77,318
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$95,925
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$66,679
- Health Sciences—
- History$57,218
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$82,332
- International / Global Studies$68,196
- International Business$84,485
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$63,592
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems$107,354
- Marketing$80,677
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$88,339
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$80,475
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing—
- Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology, Other—
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Philosophy—
- Physical Sciences—
- Physics—
- Physiology$109,604
- Political Science$68,731
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health$76,475
- Psychology$54,909
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology$47,745
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$51,389
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Dayton
Overall prices in the Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,248. Housing costs 27% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 42 inches of rain a year, 12 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Montgomery County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Montgomery County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Dayton with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Ohio by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Dayton | 65% | $29,533 | 80% | $75,537 | This school |
| Cedarville University | 65% | $24,468 | 73% | $55,443 | |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | 58% | $23,589 | 75% | $50,030 | |
| Ohio Northern University | 74% | $24,478 | 75% | $80,928 | |
| The College of Wooster | 60% | $23,458 | 74% | $59,629 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Dayton would cost you $5,065 more per year than Cedarville University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Dayton, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$11,990).
- University of Dayton gives aided families $11,496 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Ohio resident | University of Dayton | Cedarville University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $49,140 | $37,150 | +$11,990 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,516 | −$516 |
| Housing & meals | $15,640 | $9,094 | +$6,546 |
| Personal & travel | $3,025 | $2,916 | +$109 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,924 | −$1,356 | −$1,568 |
| Sticker price | $65,881 | $49,320 | +$16,561 |
| Average grants | −$36,348 | −$24,852 | −$11,496 |
| You pay | $29,533 | $24,468 | +$5,065 |
“+” means University of Dayton 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.
Common questions about University of Dayton
What is the University of Dayton acceptance rate?
University of Dayton accepts 65% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 14,023 of 22,747 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1200–1380 on the SAT or 25–31 on the ACT.
How much does University of Dayton cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $65,881 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $29,533 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $21,736 and families earning $110k+ pay $33,731.
How much do University of Dayton graduates earn?
Former University of Dayton students earn a median $75,537 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Dayton graduation rate?
80% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 89% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Dayton degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Dayton costs about $101,451 after grants ($24,155 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $75,537 ten years after starting, $40,099 more than high school graduates in Ohio ($35,438), so the cost is repaid in 2.5 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Dayton: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-dayton (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).