Quad

Aurora University

Aurora, ILQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 11, 2026

  • Fall 2025: 6,035 applied (fall 2024: 5,384)Aurora University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 4,951 admits (fall 2024: 4,353)Aurora University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 82% admitted (fall 2024: 81%)Aurora University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Reading & Writing 440–580 (fall 2024: 470–580)Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Math 430–540 (fall 2024: 430–570)Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Entered fall 2024: 79% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 77%)Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

8 in 10 applicants admitted

Aurora admits about 8 in 10 applicants (82%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 40% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

82%

82%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

6,035

Admitted

4,951

Yield

17%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.51

SAT middle 50%

875–1078

8001600
ACT middle 50%

21–29

1836
Applications +132% since fall 2014 · admit rate 81% → 81%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 3,974 undergrads, where 45% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

4K

undergrads · larger than 74% of colleges

Diversity index

0.66

Pell Grant

45%

above the median

First generation

46%

above the median

Large suburbNCAA D-III · Northern Athletics ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.61 → 0.66 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Social Work (13% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 25% of faculty are full-time. Spends $5,125 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

Most popular major

Social Work

13% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$90.1K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

25%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$5.1K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $24,507 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), about the national median. The 99% who received grants paid $19,053 on average; the other 1% paid the full sticker price of $45,864.

47%

$24.5K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · about the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$45,864 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
4.8% · avg $14K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 47% of full price

Federal loans

47%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost steady · −1% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $58,709 ten years after enrolling, more than at 65% of colleges; 67% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.7 years of that salary.

67%

67%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$58.7K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.3K

≈ $215/month for 10 years

Retention

79%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 58% → 60% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 5% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid held about steady, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 132% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 81% to 81%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    −1% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +132%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 81% → 81% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.61 → 0.66

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Columbia College

5K undergrads

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Mercy University

86% admit · 5.7K undergrads

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Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies

2.7K undergrads

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California Baptist University

85% admit · 8.2K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso private
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    Aurora University Common Data Set 2025–26

    Aurora University · Fall 2025; Entered fall 2024; 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-05

  4. 4
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    Aurora University (2026)

    Aurora University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 143118 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything