About
Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1889 as Elon College, the university is organized into six schools, most of which offer bachelor's degrees and several of which offer master's degrees or professional doctorate degrees. Located in North Carolina's Piedmont region, Elon is situated on a 656-acre (265 ha) suburban campus between the cities of Greensboro and Raleigh. Elon's athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Coastal Athletic Association.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 2.3-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.
Of 70 Title IV programs, 26 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 44 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing26 · 37.1%
- No Data44 · 62.9%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
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.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 5
Action history · 8
- Jun 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Feb 2024Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jan 2024Grant Substantive Change: OtherSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Dec 2023Renewal of AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Nov 2021Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar · Law (LAW) - Professional schools
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 835 students received $5.0M in Pell grants, alongside $57.6M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 892 borrowers who entered repayment, 11 (1.2%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at Elon
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 11
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus12
Includes 9 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Religion2
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Station At Mill Point 2111 fireCookingDamage $10,000-$24,999
- East B1 fireCookingDamage $1,000-$9,999
Data quality: 2 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Elon vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Elon selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectElon University | 84% | — | 7,239 | $41,555 | Doctoral/Professional |
| 75% | 62.0% | 12,321 | $41,943 | R2 Research | |
| 86% | 28.9% | 3,969 | $40,766 | Baccalaureate | |
| 82% | 65.4% | 9,760 | $46,555 | R2 Research | |
| 82% | 59.3% | 16,150 | $44,338 | R2 Research | |
| 79% | 42.9% | 2,554 | $30,308 | Baccalaureate | |
| 86% | 81.7% | 7,470 | $35,119 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 80% | 71.5% | 22,740 | $23,322 | R2 Research | |
| 88% | 25.9% | 7,692 | $36,931 | R2 Research | |
| 83% | 81.3% | 11,746 | $31,487 | R2 Research | |
| 80% | 75.4% | 18,838 | $28,384 | R2 Research | |
| 88% | 48.0% | 9,728 | $50,062 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 84% | 63.3% | 12,116 | $40,892 | R2 Research | |
| 84% | 45.9% | 22,589 | $38,793 | R1 Research | |
| 76% | 77.8% | 12,813 | $36,131 | R1 Research | |
| 89% | 34.1% | 9,818 | $19,096 | R2 Research | |
| Peer group median | 84% | 62.0% | 10,782 | $37,862 |
Institutions like Elon
Explore the federal data for institutions in Elon's comparison group.
- R2 ResearchDistrict of Columbia
American University
Grad rate75%Admit rate62.0%Enrollment12,321Net price$41,943View data - BaccalaureatePennsylvania
Bucknell University
Grad rate86%Admit rate28.9%Enrollment3,969Net price$40,766View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
Chapman University
Grad rate82%Admit rate65.4%Enrollment9,760Net price$46,555View data - R2 ResearchNew York
Fordham University
Grad rate82%Admit rate59.3%Enrollment16,150Net price$44,338View data - BaccalaureateSouth Carolina
Furman University
Grad rate79%Admit rate42.9%Enrollment2,554Net price$30,308View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalWashington
Gonzaga University
Grad rate86%Admit rate81.7%Enrollment7,470Net price$35,119View data - R2 ResearchVirginia
James Madison University
Grad rate80%Admit rate71.5%Enrollment22,740Net price$23,322View data - R2 ResearchPennsylvania
Lehigh University
Grad rate88%Admit rate25.9%Enrollment7,692Net price$36,931View data - R2 ResearchWisconsin
Marquette University
Grad rate83%Admit rate81.3%Enrollment11,746Net price$31,487View data - R2 ResearchOhio
Miami University-Oxford
Grad rate80%Admit rate75.4%Enrollment18,838Net price$28,384View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
Santa Clara University
Grad rate88%Admit rate48.0%Enrollment9,728Net price$50,062View data - R2 ResearchTexas
Southern Methodist University
Grad rate84%Admit rate63.3%Enrollment12,116Net price$40,892View data - R1 ResearchNew York
Syracuse University
Grad rate84%Admit rate45.9%Enrollment22,589Net price$38,793View data - R1 ResearchColorado
University of Denver
Grad rate76%Admit rate77.8%Enrollment12,813Net price$36,131View data - R2 ResearchVirginia
William & Mary
Grad rate89%Admit rate34.1%Enrollment9,818Net price$19,096View data
Elon Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Elon University supports institutional effectiveness and assessment efforts at the university, division, school, and program level. Duties and responsibilities include research design, data collection and analysis, and dissemination of information to support strategic goals and initiatives.
Visit IR office page- Rob SpringerExecutive Director of Institutional Effectiveness
- Rhonda BeltonAssociate Director of Institutional Research
Common Data Set
Elon's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Affordability & Value
Cost of attendance
GTotal sticker cost of attendance is $40,321 (2021-2022).
Sticker vs. net price
G+HSticker $40,321 → about $24,081 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($16,240); 60% of demonstrated need is met.
Where grant aid comes from
H10% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.
Graduate debt
H4/H533% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $34,323 on average.
Outcomes & Equity
Graduation & retention
B6-year graduation rate 83%; first-year retention 90%.
Equity: Pell graduation gap
B4Pell-grant recipients graduate 5 pts below the overall rate (77% vs 83%).
Academic Experience
Class-size distribution
I350% of classes have under 20 students; 0% have 50+.
Faculty profile
IKey faculty indicators.
Degrees by discipline
JSTEM-dominant: ~8% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.
Student Body & Diversity
Undergraduate race/ethnicity
B2Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.
International students
B22% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).
Undergrad vs graduate
B16,291 undergraduates and 826 graduate students.
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFact Book | Institutional Effectiveness | Elon University2026The Elon University Fact Book contains relevant historical and current data about the institution, divided into sections on admissions, faculty, finances, graduates, and students. Recent editions from 2023-2026 are available as interactive dashboards best viewed in Chrome.elon.edu
- GlossaryGlossary of Terms | Institutional Effectiveness | Elon UniversityElon University's Glossary of Terms for Institutional Effectiveness provides definitions for key terms related to assessment practices. Important concepts include various program evaluations and assessments, strategies for measuring student learning outcomes, and methods for using data to improve educational programs.elon.edu
- Strategic planStrategic Plan 20302026Elon University is currently in the process of creating its next strategic plan as it completes the final year of the Elon Commitment plan. The planning process is inclusive, involving many voices from the university community under the leadership of President Connie Ledoux Book and the Board of Trustees. Updates on the process and opportunities for involvement are available on the university's strategic planning webpage.elon.edu
Grants & funding (3)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
- opportunityInternational Research Experiences for Studentsinstitution_site$150,000
- opportunityImpact Alamance Progress and Enhancement FundImpact Alamanceinstitution_site$50,000
- opportunityGrants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus ProgramDepartment of Justiceinstitution_site
Notable alumni of Elon (10)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Grant GustinActing
- Chris Wood (actor)Acting
- Lauren Adams (actress)Acting
- Cary D. AllredPolitics
- Blake RussellAthletics
- Daniel J. WattsActing
- Debbie YowAthletics
- Isabella CannonPolitics
- Wes DurhamSports Broadcasting
- Rich BlomquistTelevision Writing
Frequently asked questions about Elon University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Elon.
What is the graduation rate at Elon University?
How many students attend Elon University?
What is the average net price at Elon University?
What is the yield rate at Elon University?
Where is Elon University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Elon University?
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.
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