Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN · Private · Small suburb · VU · Valpo

Private institution in Valparaiso, IN · 2,229 undergraduates · 92% acceptance rate · $63,191 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 17%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
Top 22%Median earnings, 10 years after entry

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $21,5831,238th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $46,5881,778th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $46,5881,774th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $57,3931,659th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $26,9421,585th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $63,191430th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $55,216339th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 67.0%530th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 78.8%739th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 92.2%1,315th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1226335th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: —

Campus

Undergraduates: 2,229882nd largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 11.0:1619th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 25.9%1,431st highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 43 mi (MDW)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Most Selective Colleges in Indiana#35

Applying

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: Free
Personal essay: Optional / not required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 65 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Mechanical EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$68,059	$65,089
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$66,020	$74,576
Computer EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$63,005	—
Civil EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$62,260	$59,485
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$61,144	$55,964
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$60,367	$62,934
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$53,984	$50,231
International BusinessBusiness	bachelors	$53,358	$47,260
MarketingBusiness	bachelors	$48,432	$48,041
MathematicsMathematics & Statistics	bachelors	$44,747	$42,682
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$43,240	$48,432
EconomicsSocial Sciences	bachelors	$42,682	$40,467

Campus facts

Religious affiliation: Lutheran Church in Americasource
Founded in 1859source
Athletic nickname: "Beacons"source
Mascot: The Crusadersource
Athletics–Recreation Center seats about 5,000source
Competes in NCAA Division Isource
School colors: Brown and Goldsource
Motto: "In luce tua videmus lucem"source
Campus size: about 350 acressource
Formerly known as "Valparaiso Male and Female College"source
Formerly known as "(1859–1871)"source
Formerly known as "Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute (1873–1900) Valparaiso College"source
Formerly known as "(1900–1906)"source
A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
A Space-grant]] institutionsource
Plays for the "Hoosier Helmet Trophy" (since 1927)source
Fight song: ""Valpo Fight Song""source
Notable alum: Beulah Bondisource
Notable alum: Mikhail Borodinsource

Athletics — 11 sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $4,449,391 (M $1,524,460 · W $2,924,931)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.