Quad
DePaul UniversityChicago, IL · Private nonprofit

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Cinematography and Film/Video Production (9% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 50% of faculty are full-time. Spends $13,870 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

3,303 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 35% of graduates; 99 programs in 24 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Cinematography and Film/Video Production 50.06029.5% 313
    Graduates in this field earn $46,969 4 years out
  2. Finance, General 52.08017.0% 230
    Graduates in this field earn $93,719 4 years out
  3. Psychology, General 42.01016.6% 217
    Graduates in this field earn $55,664 4 years out
  4. Business Administration and Management, General 52.02016.2% 205
    Graduates in this field earn $74,847 4 years out
  5. Marketing/Marketing Management, General 52.14015.4% 179
    Graduates in this field earn $78,164 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Visual and performing arts, 6.3% → 16% of graduates since 2014–15 (515 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management$113,645 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $79,863

    4 years after completion$113,645
    National median: $85,063Above typical

    Median federal debt: $25,000 · 97 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Computer Programming$101,315 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $72,234

    4 years after completion$101,315
    National median: $83,439Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $74,848 · Non-Pell: $77,753(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $24,500 · 267 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Economics$100,185 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $37,151

    4 years after completion$100,185
    National median: $82,686Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $56,290 · Non-Pell: $62,196(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $20,000 · 38 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Computer Software and Media Applications$96,616 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $54,859

    4 years after completion$96,616
    National median: $58,894Above typical

    Median federal debt: $24,999 · 65 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Management Information Systems and Services$94,197 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $68,769

    4 years after completion$94,197
    National median: $83,290Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $86,650 · Non-Pell: $91,313(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $21,500 · 88 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college17 to 1
17 to 1
← Fewer students per facultymore students per faculty member than 78% of 1,892More students per faculty →

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Full-time faculty50%
National median: 67%Below typical
Average faculty salary

$114,546

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other private nonprofit colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable.

Instruction spending per student$13,870
$13,870
← Lessmore than 68% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$51,936
$51,936
← Lessmore than 61% of 1,065More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)