R1 ResearchPrivate nonprofitMedical

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Mid East·drexel.edu
6-yr Graduation
78%
-16.0pp vs R1 Research
Total enrollment
21,153
peer median 16,357
Avg net price
$38,509
+$9.2k vs R1 Research
Use this data
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersCampusesIR OfficeResearch fundingCommon Data SetDocumentsAlumni

About

Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry, it was renamed Drexel Institute of Technology in 1936, before assuming its current name in 1970. As of 2020, more than 24,000 students were enrolled in over 70 undergraduate programs and more than 100 master's, doctoral, and professional programs at the university. Drexel's cooperative education program (co-op) is a unique aspect of the school's degree programs, offering students the opportunity to gain up to 18 months of paid, full-time work experience in a field relevant to their undergraduate major or graduate degree program prior to graduation.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
37,314
37,314 candidates competed
Admitted
29,642
79.4% acceptance rate
Enrolled
2,399
8.1% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
78%-16.0pp vs R1 Research
4-year graduation
30%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
78%
Full-time retention
90%

Pell equity

3.1pp gap
Pell recipients
76%660 of 873
Non-Pell (all)
79%1960 of 2479
Subsidized loan, no Pell
77%769 of 1004
No Federal Aid
81%1191 of 1475

Non-Pell students graduate at a 3.1-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 311 Title IV programs, 93 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 217 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
311
Passing
93
29.9% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
0.3% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.3%
-0.3pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

311programs
  • Passing93 · 29.9%
  • No Data217 · 69.8%
  • Failing1 · 0.3%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
1
At Risk
1
Watch
3
Safe
89
No data
217

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

94
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-3.0%
$57,006 vs $58,761
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+9.5%
$64,317 vs $58,761
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+11.2%
$65,325 vs $58,761
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+21.8%
$42,980 vs $35,274
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
Master's Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
+24.0%
$67,634 vs $54,534
Public Relations Advertising and Applied Communication
Master's Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+28.8%
$70,518 vs $54,745
Arts Entertainment and Media Management
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+30.1%
$59,030 vs $45,360
Public Health
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+30.4%
$76,628 vs $58,761

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-3.0%
−$1,755

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

73
Medicine
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
280%
$267,497 debt · $95,437 earn
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
146%
$95,093 debt · $65,325 earn
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
130%
$74,318 debt · $57,006 earn
Design and Applied Arts
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
130%
$105,327 debt · $80,986 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Doctoral Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
107%
$90,738 debt · $84,960 earn
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
92%
$125,558 debt · $137,232 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
87%
$56,000 debt · $64,317 earn
Public Health
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
86%
$66,000 debt · $76,628 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Accredited since 1927Next review Jan 2027

Programmatic accreditations · 18

Action history · 30

  1. Nov 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PT) - Professional programs for the physical therapist
  2. Oct 2025Approved for Distance Education
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIET) - Coordinated Program in Dietetics
  3. Oct 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Professional Psychology (IPSY) - Predoctoral internship programs
  4. Jul 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIET) - Coordinated Program in Dietetics
  5. Jul 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$28,055
$30–48k$29,435
$48–75k$34,970
$75–110k$37,842
$110k+$48,089

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$38,509
+$9,231vs R1 Research median $29,278
Federal loans
49.3%
In-state tuition
$62,412
Out-of-state
$62,412

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 4,469 students received $26.0M in Pell grants, alongside $300.3M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
4,469
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$26.0M
$25,981,743 total
Direct Loans
$300.3M
18,993 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

4k
’20
4k
’21
4k
’22
4k
’23
4k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$23.4M
5,335 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$19.6M
5,451 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$112.1M
4,307 loan awards
Parent PLUS$51.8M
1,475 loan awards
Grad PLUS$93.5M
2,425 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 5,199 borrowers who entered repayment, 50 (0.9%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.9%
-1.4pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
5,199
Defaulted
50
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
3.1%
2017
2.3%
2018
1.9%
2019
0.9%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Drexel

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs270
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

5,709 total completions
01Health Professions
1,81331.8%
02Business
91516.0%
03Engineering
80614.1%
04Computer Sciences
5018.8%
05Biological Sciences
4107.2%
06Multi/Interdisciplinary
3626.3%
07Visual/Performing Arts
3466.1%
08Legal Professions
2083.6%
09Education
1903.3%
10Psychology
1582.8%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
21,153
12-mo unduplicated
25,090
Undergraduate
14,582
Graduate
10,508

Gender split

Men
44%11,036
Women
56%14,054

Race / ethnicity composition

White
40.4%
Asian
24.3%
Black
10.2%
Hispanic
9.1%
Non-resident
9.0%
Two or more
4.6%
Unknown
2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
461
245 M · 216 W
Women athletes
46.9%
Athletic aid
$12.0M
Total student aid
Budget
$31.1M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$6.1M
$5.9M
Recruiting expense
$173K
$108K
Head-coach salaries
$139K
$113K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 12

Rowing
52 M · 43 W
$2.8M
Lacrosse
57 M · 32 W
$3.3M
Soccer
28 M · 29 W
$2.3M
Basketball
14 M · 24 W
$5.6M
Wrestling
37 M · —
$1.3M
Squash
15 M · 13 W
$1.2M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
3.46
75 offenses · 21,703 students

3-year trend

3.582 yrs ago4.161 yr ago3.46Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
251
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
34
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
11
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
8

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
42
Rape
9
Fondling
8
Robbery
6
Burglary
5
Aggravated assault
4
Arson
1

By location

75total
  • On campus42
  • Non-campus1
  • Public property32

Includes 12 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

1
Domestic violence
4
Dating violence
2
Stalking
7 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Religion3
  • Ethnicity1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons11
Drugs724
Liquor0237

Residence-hall fires

  • CANERIS HALL1 fire
    Damage $0-$99
  • THE SUMMIT AT UNIVERSITY CITY1 fire
    OtherDamage $0-$99

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
9.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
1,150

Drexel vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Drexel selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectDrexel University
78%—21,153$38,509R1 Research
Baylor University
80%51.3%20,626$41,104R1 Research
Boston College
91%16.4%15,432$41,704R1 Research
Boston University
89%11.1%37,737$24,402R1 Research
Brandeis University
86%40.5%5,205$35,736R1 Research
Brown University
96%5.4%11,956$25,184R1 Research
California Institute of Technology
94%2.6%2,430$16,075R1 Research
Carnegie Mellon University
94%11.7%15,888$31,944R1 Research
Case Western Reserve University
87%36.5%12,475$41,190R1 Research
Columbia University in the City of New York
96%4.0%35,173$21,590R1 Research
Cornell University
95%8.8%26,793$28,690R1 Research
Dartmouth College
96%5.4%6,938$29,519R1 Research
Duke University
97%5.7%17,499$29,612R1 Research
Emory University
91%10.6%15,175$22,585R1 Research
George Washington University
84%47.1%25,374$36,586R1 Research
Georgetown University
95%12.9%20,031$40,815R1 Research
Harvard University
98%3.6%30,259$19,066R1 Research
Johns Hopkins University
94%6.4%30,210$18,809R1 Research
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
96%4.5%11,886$20,111R1 Research
New York University
88%9.2%56,832$37,050R1 Research
Northeastern University
91%5.2%32,553$30,915R1 Research
Northwestern University
95%7.7%23,856$29,167R1 Research
Princeton University
98%4.6%9,137$6,128R1 Research
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
84%63.5%7,040$36,228R1 Research
Rice University
95%8.0%8,961$13,370R1 Research
Stanford University
92%3.6%18,625$13,807R1 Research
Syracuse University
84%45.9%22,589$38,793R1 Research
Tufts University
94%11.5%13,599$39,998R1 Research
Tulane University of Louisiana
86%14.0%13,310$39,949R1 Research
University of Chicago
96%4.5%18,566$14,860R1 Research
University of Denver
76%77.8%12,813$36,131R1 Research
University of Miami
84%18.9%19,852$37,244R1 Research
University of Notre Dame
95%11.3%13,042$26,780R1 Research
University of Pennsylvania
97%5.4%29,109$28,699R1 Research
University of Rochester
85%40.1%11,946$29,278R1 Research
University of Southern California
92%9.8%46,566$32,740R1 Research
Vanderbilt University
94%5.9%13,575$15,846R1 Research
Washington University in St Louis
94%12.1%16,357$21,786R1 Research
Yale University
96%3.9%15,564$23,777R1 Research
Peer group median94%9.5%16,357$29,278

Institutions like Drexel

Explore the federal data for institutions in Drexel's comparison group.

IPEDS

Campuses

The 1 campus that make up Drexel University.

IPEDS

Drexel Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Accreditation
Email
sd889 [at] drexel.edu
Phone
215-895-4971
Address
3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

The mission of the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Accreditation at Drexel University is to support the achievement of the University mission by providing timely, accurate, and unbiased data and analysis for institutional decision-making, assessment, effective management, and strategic planning.

Visit IR office page
Team
6 members
  • Sujoy Das, PhD
    Vice Provost for Institutional Research, Assessment and Accreditation
  • Joseph M. Hawk
    Executive Director of Assessment and Accreditation
  • Anupma Singh, PhD
    Executive Director of Institutional Research
  • Esul Park, PhD
    Director of Survey Research
  • Manny Sanchez
    Manager of Operations
  • Kalpana Paudel Sapkota
    Programmer Analyst

Research funding

External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.

NSF
NSF awards
$499,317
NIH awards
$9,956,479
USA Spending
$166,270,639
All sources
$176,726,435

Common Data Set

Drexel's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
69.9%
Accessible
Yield
7.3%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
20,789
12,318 UG · 8,471 grad
6-yr graduation rate
78%
First-year retention
88%
Student–faculty ratio
9.2
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
38,030
Admitted
26,583
Enrolled
1,948

38,030 applied → 26,583 admitted (69.9%) → 1,948 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
69.9%

Accessible — 69.9% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men69.8%
women69.9%
another gender71.0%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1260
Median
1350
75th
1430

Middle 50% SAT 1260–1430 (median 1350).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
28
Median
30
75th
33

Middle 50% ACT 28–33 (median 30).

High-school class rank

C10
top tenth0.3178%
top quarter0.6318%
top half0.8895%
bottom half0.1105%
bottom quarter0.0097%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important4
Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankAcademic GPAStandardized test scores
Important3
Application EssayRecommendation(s)Character/personal qualities
Considered8
InterviewExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityFirst generationAlumni/ae relationVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest
Not Considered3
Geographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitment

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Total Scholarships/Grants40.8%
Institutional: Endowed scholarships, annual gifts and tuition funded grants, awarded by the college, excluding athletic aid and tuition waivers (which are reported below).34.3%
Total Self-Help8.7%
Student loans from all sources (excluding parent loans)8.0%
Federal4.4%
State all states, not only the state in which your institution is located1.4%
Scholarships/grants from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) not awarded by the college0.7%
Federal Work-Study0.6%
Tuition Waivers0.6%
Athletic Awards0.4%

0% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
78%
Retention
88%

6-year graduation rate 78%; first-year retention 88%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students78%
Pell recipients76%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 2 pts below the overall rate (76% vs 78%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students125
10-19 students514
20-29 students400
30-39 students152
40-49 students96
50-99 students103
100+ students36

45% of classes have under 20 students; 10% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
9.2
Faculty with terminal degree
54%
Women faculty
54%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Business/marketing20.5%
Engineering17.1%
Health professions and related programs16.5%
Computer and information sciences10.4%
Visual and performing arts10%
Interdisciplinary studies4.9%
Biological/life sciences4%
Psychology2.8%

STEM-dominant: ~33% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic38.4%
Asian, non-Hispanic25.8%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic10.3%
Hispanic/Latino9.4%
Nonresidents8.9%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic4.9%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown2.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.0%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
1,093
Share
9%

9% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
12,31859%
Graduate
8,47141%

12,318 undergraduates and 8,471 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
2,596
Admitted
1,511
Enrolled
499

2,596 transfer applicants → 1,511 admitted (58.2%) → 499 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Reports & documents (4)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Notable alumni of Drexel (28)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Ramani Ayer
    Business
  • Michael Baum
    Business
  • Albert Boscov
    Business
  • Kenneth C. Dahlberg
    Business
  • Dana Dornsife
    Business
  • Elaine Garzarelli
    Business
  • Raj Gupta
    Business
  • Bennett S. LeBow
    Business
  • Earl Lestz
    Business
  • Richelle Parham
    Business
  • Dorcas Bates Reilly
    Business
  • Nicholas Schorsch
    Business
Showing 1–12 of 28
1 / 3

Frequently asked questions about Drexel University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Drexel.

What is the graduation rate at Drexel University?

Drexel University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 78% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Drexel University?

Drexel University reports a total enrollment of 21,153 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Drexel University?

The average net price at Drexel University is $38,509 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Drexel University?

Drexel University's yield rate is 8.1%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Drexel University located?

Drexel University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.

Who runs Institutional Research at Drexel University?

Drexel University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Accreditation.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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