More selective than 16% of Indiana colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $58,437. College Scorecard.
Higher than 81% of Indiana colleges we cover and 79% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 85% of Indiana colleges we cover and 76% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
VU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,133 applicants, Valparaiso University admitted 5,656 and 596 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1060–1280 on the SAT or 23–31 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
VU 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
What VU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Valparaiso University 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 Indiana. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,043 | $45,828 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $12,055 | $50,028 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $15,279 | $63,408 | 2.3 years |
| $75–110k | $22,311 | $92,591 | 3.3 years |
| $110k+ | $24,780 | $102,837 | 3.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (58% 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 ($63,191) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $27,657 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.
VU majors, earnings & careers
Valparaiso University offers 59 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 12
- Science & Math · 9
- Business & Finance · 8
- Engineering · 8
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Arts & Design · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at VU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Health Sciences | $115,095 | $19,500 |
| Computer Engineering | $96,079 | $27,000 |
| Computer Science | $94,111 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $90,583 | $27,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $87,944 | $27,000 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $86,317 | — |
| Nursing | $81,278 | $27,366 |
| Civil Engineering | $80,173 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 59 majors
- Accounting$71,848
- Area Studies—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology$60,092
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$61,072
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business—
- Business Administration$78,163
- Chemistry$62,245
- Civil Engineering$80,173
- Classics—
- Communications$50,325
- Computer Engineering$96,079
- Computer Science$94,111
- Criminology$63,772
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$53,495
- Education (Subject Teaching)$54,933
- Electrical Engineering$87,944
- Engineering—
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- English$52,439
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance$73,880
- Geography—
- German—
- Health Administration$55,485
- Health Sciences$115,095
- History—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$47,644
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$60,612
- Management Science / Analytics$86,317
- Marketing$66,773
- Mathematics$61,564
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Mechanical Engineering$90,583
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$81,278
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$56,054
- Psychology$58,104
- Public Health—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Social Work$57,609
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$50,588
- Statistics—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
- Theology / Ministry—
- Writing—
— 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 →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
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
Living in Chicago
Overall prices in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,429. Housing costs 12% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 33 inches of rain a year, 40 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Porter County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Porter County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare VU with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso University | 89% | $18,578 | 70% | $63,191 | This school |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | 89% | $22,866 | 67% | $59,986 | |
| Marian University | 95% | $24,018 | 67% | $58,759 | |
| Trine University | 85% | $25,355 | 64% | $57,165 | |
| Grace College and Theological Seminary | 82% | $19,932 | 69% | $45,411 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Valparaiso University would cost you $4,288 less per year than Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Valparaiso University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$16,098).
- Valparaiso University gives aided families $17,949 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Indiana resident | VU | IWU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $48,450 | $32,352 | +$16,098 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,384 | −$184 |
| Housing & meals | $13,306 | $10,554 | +$2,752 |
| Personal & travel | $1,620 | $2,084 | −$464 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$6,139 | −$1,598 | −$4,541 |
| Sticker price | $58,437 | $44,776 | +$13,661 |
| Average grants | −$39,859 | −$21,910 | −$17,949 |
| You pay | $18,578 | $22,866 | −$4,288 |
“+” means VU 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 VU
What is the VU acceptance rate?
Valparaiso University accepts 89% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 5,656 of 6,133 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1060–1280 on the SAT or 23–31 on the ACT.
How much does Valparaiso University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $58,437 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $18,578 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,043 and families earning $110k+ pay $24,780.
How much do VU graduates earn?
Former Valparaiso University students earn a median $63,191 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the VU graduation rate?
70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 75% return for their second year.
How long does a VU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Valparaiso University costs about $63,408 after grants ($15,279 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $63,191 ten years after starting, $27,657 more than high school graduates in Indiana ($35,534), so the cost is repaid in 2.3 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: “Valparaiso University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/valparaiso-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).