Private nonprofit · University
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois · Large suburb
- 90.3%
- Admit rate
- $11,745
- Avg net price
- 55%
- Graduation rate
- $60,327
- Median earnings
Dominican University is a private nonprofit bachelor's-granting institution in River Forest, Illinois (large suburb setting), enrolling 2,561 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). It has a Roman Catholic religious affiliation.
Will you get in?
See where your numbers land against Dominican University's admitted students.
- Admit rate
- 90.3%
- SAT (mid 50%)
- 880–1100
- Avg GPA (est.)
- 2.89
Enter a test score to see where you land against Dominican University's admitted students.
A guide, not a prediction. It compares your numbers with the middle 50% of admitted students and Dominican University's overall admit rate — it can't see essays, recommendations, activities, or your intended major, which all move real decisions.
About River Forest, Illinois
River Forest is a suburban village adjacent to Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The Menominees would eventually be driven out by the Potowatomi Nation in 1810. The Potawatomi were in turn pushed west of the Mississippi by the Treaty of Chicago of 1833. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Large suburb
- Highest degree offered
- Graduate
- Nearest big city
- 10 miles to Chicago, IL
- To Great Lakes shore
- 9 miles
- Nearest airport
- 7 miles to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) · major hub
How Dominican University compares
More selective than 23% · #47 most selective of 58 in Illinois
Higher than 8%
Higher than 51% · #34 of 58 in Illinois
Higher than 56%
Higher than 68% · #26 of 66 in Illinois
Cheaper than 86% · #6 cheapest of 57 in Illinois
Lower than 42%
Lower than 59%
Larger than 64%
Percentiles compare Dominican University with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in Illinois.
Student body
Undergraduate vs. graduate
- Undergraduate2,56170%
- Graduate1,11330%
Undergraduates by gender
- Women1,78670%
- Men77530%
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White18%
- Black5.9%
- Hispanic69%
- Asian3.0%
- Other or multiracial3.7%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 2,561
- Graduate enrollment
- 1,113
- Student–faculty ratio
- 12 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 52%
- First-generation students
- 51%
- Students over 25
- 6%
- Median family income
- $38,451
- Avg faculty salary (academic year)
- $72,261
- Endowment
- $55,388,935
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Where students come from
Home state of the 651 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.
- From Illinois90%
- Other U.S. states10%
Most first-years stay in state — Dominican University draws overwhelmingly from Illinois.
Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.
Admissions
- Admission rate
- 90.3%
- Test scores
- Considered but not required
- SAT range (25th–75th %)
- 880–1100
- SAT average
- 1002
- SAT reading
- 460–560
- SAT math
- 420–540
- ACT composite
- 16–26
- Average GPA (estimated)
- 2.89
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $38,978
- Room & board
- $12,716
- Books & supplies
- $1,200
- Total cost of attendance
- $43,891
- Average net price
- $11,745
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated (within 6 years)
- 55%
- Graduated on time (4 years)
- 45%
- First-year retention
- 78%
- Transferred to another college
- 31%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $47,907
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $60,327
- Median debt at graduation
- $24,411
- Students with federal loans
- 50%
- Paying down their loans (1 year in)
- 59%
About 10% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.
Graduating on time
By student background (4 years)
When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- Yes
- Dorm capacity
- 520
- Dorm capacity vs undergrads
- 20%
- Housing charge (year)
- $7,080
- Meal plan (year)
- $5,472
- Application fee
- Free
- Athletics
- NCAA Division III without football
- Varsity athletes
- 309 (161 men · 148 women)
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Varsity sports (9)
Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.
Campus safety
- Safety grade
- B
- Reported offenses per 1,000 students
- 0.6 / year
- Violent offenses (2022–2024)
- 6
- Property offenses (2022–2024)
- 1
On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (3,803 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.
Reported offenses in an average year
The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.
By offense type, per year
Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.
What you'll actually pay, by family income
Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.
College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.
Four-year (or more) true cost
Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.
$11,891/year × about 4.3 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.
Dominican University discounts heavily: 100% of freshmen are awarded a grant straight from the school, averaging $20,333. For many families the real price lands well below sticker.
Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 598 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.
Is it worth it?
A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.
- Median earnings (10 years)
- $60,327
- Typical debt at graduation
- $24,411
- Debt vs. one year's pay
- 40%
- Out-earn a HS grad
- 68%
Typical debt would take roughly 4.0 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.
A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.
Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
The pay gap here
Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.
Men out-earn women by $5,906 (10%) a decade out.
Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 84°F
- Winter low
- 19°F
- Annual rain
- 37.9″
- Annual snow
- 38.4″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Chicago Ohare Intl AP, IL US station (8.5 mi from campus).
What Dominican University graduates study — and earn
Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.
Colleges similar to Dominican University
Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Dominican University side by side →
Avila University
Kansas City, Missouri · Large city · 13 mi to Kansas City
- Students
- 1,312
- Admission
- 88%
- Net price
- $16k
- SAT
- 972
- GPA
- 2.8
- Earnings
- $53k
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana · Large city · 2 mi to Fort Wayne
- Students
- 1,567
- Admission
- 96%
- Net price
- $18k
- SAT
- 981
- GPA
- 2.8
- Earnings
- $55k
St. Thomas Aquinas College
Sparkill, New York · Large suburb · 23 mi to New York
- Students
- 972
- Admission
- 93%
- Net price
- $20k
- SAT
- 1000
- GPA
- 2.9
- Earnings
- $63k
Holy Family University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Large city · 12 mi to Philadelphia
- Students
- 2,464
- Admission
- 71%
- Net price
- $13k
- SAT
- 1060
- GPA
- 3.1
- Earnings
- $62k
Aquinas College
Grand Rapids, Michigan · Midsize city · 2 mi to Grand Rapids
- Students
- 1,083
- Admission
- 90%
- Net price
- $17k
- SAT
- 1025
- GPA
- 3.0
- Earnings
- $50k
Saint Peter's University
Jersey City, New Jersey · Large city · 4 mi to New York
- Students
- 2,135
- Admission
- 90%
- Net price
- $12k
- SAT
- —
- GPA
- —
- Earnings
- $58k
Colleges near Dominican University
Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park
Melrose Park, IL · Private for-profit · Certificate · 1,539 students
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest, IL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 1,323 students
Triton College
River Grove, IL · Public · Certificate · 6,902 students
Empire Beauty School-Stone Park
Stone Park, IL · Private for-profit · Certificate · 136 students
Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture
Hillside, IL · Private for-profit · Certificate · 52 students
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
Chicago, IL · Public · Associate · 4,372 students
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW
Chicago, IL · Private for-profit · Certificate · 216 students
Illinois Media School
Chicago, IL · Private for-profit · Certificate · 32 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.













