Saint Xavier University
About
Saint Xavier University is a private Catholic university located in Chicago, founded in 1846 by the Sisters of Mercy. The institution focuses on providing a Mercy education to a diverse population and offers various programs, including notable strengths in nursing and education.
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 13.5-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 67 Title IV programs, 22 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 45 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing22 · 32.8%
- No Data45 · 67.2%
- 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.
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.
Higher Learning Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 7
Action history · 5
- Jul 2023Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
- Apr 2023Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
- Apr 2023Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
- Jun 2018Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Aug 2014Change in Agency recognitionNational Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation · Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs
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, 2,161 students received $13.5M in Pell grants, alongside $14.2M 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 1,150 borrowers who entered repayment, 20 (1.7%) 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 Saint Xavier
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 · 12
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 campus6
Includes 5 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Pacelli Hall1 fireElectricalDamage $100-$999
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Saint Xavier vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Saint Xavier 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSaint Xavier University | 57% | — | 3,485 | $10,970 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| 50% | 95.2% | 2,917 | $22,313 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 76% | 76.8% | 4,777 | $22,719 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 83% | 79.8% | 8,581 | $31,568 | R2 Research | |
| 55% | 90.3% | 3,803 | $11,745 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 84% | 66.3% | 7,239 | $41,555 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 79% | 80.9% | 2,864 | $28,746 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 59% | 93.1% | 4,250 | $23,696 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 54% | 93.2% | 4,060 | $29,137 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 62% | 86.5% | 4,605 | $18,397 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 73% | 65.4% | 11,022 | $46,174 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 61% | 77.3% | 2,498 | $24,691 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 63% | 81.4% | 3,033 | $25,578 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 69% | 41.2% | 1,439 | $42,478 | — | |
| 70% | 86.5% | 2,734 | $30,378 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 71% | 93.0% | 2,930 | $27,846 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 70% | 89.4% | 2,579 | $18,578 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 92% | 27.0% | 10,041 | $43,756 | R2 Research | |
| 68% | 86.4% | 5,501 | $32,997 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| Peer group median | 69% | 83.9% | 3,803 | $27,846 |
Institutions like Saint Xavier
Explore the federal data for institutions in Saint Xavier's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsIllinois
Benedictine University
Grad rate50%Admit rate95.2%Enrollment2,917Net price$22,313View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalIllinois
Bradley University
Grad rate76%Admit rate76.8%Enrollment4,777Net price$22,719View data - R2 ResearchNebraska
Creighton University
Grad rate83%Admit rate79.8%Enrollment8,581Net price$31,568View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsIllinois
Dominican University
Grad rate55%Admit rate90.3%Enrollment3,803Net price$11,745View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalNorth Carolina
Elon University
Grad rate84%Admit rate66.3%Enrollment7,239Net price$41,555View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsOhio
John Carroll University
Grad rate79%Admit rate80.9%Enrollment2,864Net price$28,746View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalLouisiana
Loyola University New Orleans
Grad rate59%Admit rate93.1%Enrollment4,250Net price$23,696View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalVirginia
Marymount University
Grad rate54%Admit rate93.2%Enrollment4,060Net price$29,137View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalColorado
Regis University
Grad rate62%Admit rate86.5%Enrollment4,605Net price$18,397View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalConnecticut
Sacred Heart University
Grad rate73%Admit rate65.4%Enrollment11,022Net price$46,174View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalIowa
Saint Ambrose University
Grad rate61%Admit rate77.3%Enrollment2,498Net price$24,691View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsTexas
Saint Edward's University
Grad rate63%Admit rate81.4%Enrollment3,033Net price$25,578View data - Pennsylvania
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster
Grad rate69%Admit rate41.2%Enrollment1,439Net price$42,478View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
Saint Mary's College of California
Grad rate70%Admit rate86.5%Enrollment2,734Net price$30,378View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalMinnesota
The College of Saint Scholastica
Grad rate71%Admit rate93.0%Enrollment2,930Net price$27,846View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalIndiana
Valparaiso University
Grad rate70%Admit rate89.4%Enrollment2,579Net price$18,578View data - R2 ResearchPennsylvania
Villanova University
Grad rate92%Admit rate27.0%Enrollment10,041Net price$43,756View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalOhio
Xavier University
Grad rate68%Admit rate86.4%Enrollment5,501Net price$32,997View data
Saint Xavier Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Research gathers and validates information for University planning, management, and assessment and serves as the institution's clearinghouse for timely and accurate reporting of various information mandated by regulatory agencies.
Visit IR office page- Jorge ArevaloDirector, Institutional Research & Assessment
- Kathleen CarlsonDir Ins Res/Spec Asst to Pre, Institutional Research & Assessment
- Carmel HoranDeputy Director, Institutional Research & Assessment
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planInnovate 2028Saint Xavier University's 'Innovate 2028' strategic plan focuses on improving student experiences, modernizing infrastructure, and expanding academic programs. Aiming to enhance fundraising and governmental relations, the plan emphasizes the integration of their Catholic, Mercy mission across all university operations to foster diversity and community. Through these efforts, the university seeks to produce career-ready graduates who are grounded in mission and prepared to contribute to the common good.sxu.edu
Notable alumni of Saint Xavier (12)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Sharon Ambrose
- Carla Arocha
- Jane M. Barnes
- Susan Catania
- Clayton Fejedelem
- Frances Ann Hurley
- Manoj Kumar Mishra
- Pat Murphy (activist)
- JoAnn Persch
- Marty QuinnPolitics
- Craig RobinsonEntertainment
- Andrew Velasquez
Frequently asked questions about Saint Xavier University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Saint Xavier.
What is the graduation rate at Saint Xavier University?
How many students attend Saint Xavier University?
What is the average net price at Saint Xavier University?
What is the yield rate at Saint Xavier University?
Where is Saint Xavier University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Saint Xavier 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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