Denison acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Denison University · Private nonprofit · Granville, OH · 2,405 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Denison admitted 16.9% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 46.0% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $71,000 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 46.0% | 4,770 | 2,193 |
| 2014 | 55.5% | 4,468 | 2,481 |
| 2015 | 47.9% | 6,110 | 2,926 |
| 2016 | 43.6% | 6,881 | 3,001 |
| 2017 | 37.2% | 7,540 | 2,808 |
| 2018 | 33.9% | 8,042 | 2,727 |
| 2019 | 29.4% | 8,812 | 2,590 |
| 2020 | 28.2% | 9,079 | 2,558 |
| 2021 | 28.3% | 9,513 | 2,689 |
| 2022 | 22.0% | 12,220 | 2,684 |
| 2023 | 16.9% | 14,580 | 2,468 |
Applications went from 4,770 in fall 2013 to 14,580 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $15,189 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $10,150 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $15,569 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,419 |
| Over $110,000 | $50,673 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $71,000 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $86,900 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $40,163 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 26% submitted the SAT, 25% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Case Western OH | 28.7% | $69,270 same for all |
| University of Dayton OH | 61.6% | $50,610 same for all |
| Xavier University OH | 87.7% | $52,680 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Denison's fall 2023 class came from 14,580 applications, of which 2,468 were admitted, an admit rate of 16.9%.1 The 2013 rate was 46.0%, so the rate has fallen 29.1 percentage points.1 It declined in 8 of the 10 yearly changes, and stood at 22.0% in 2022.1 Applications grew 206% while the admitted group grew 13%.1 Since 2018 the number admitted has gone down 9% even as applications rose 81%.1
Test scores are optional, and the middle 50% of SAT math results ran from 650 to 760 in 2023, with 25% of entrants submitting ACT scores.1
The college has 2,405 undergraduates and charges $71,000 in tuition and fees for 2025-26.2,4 Ohio's 50 private bachelor's colleges have a median of $38,249.2 Families in the lowest band ($0 to $30,000) paid $15,189 on average in 2024-25 after grants; the $30,001 to $48,000 band paid $10,150, and families over $110,000 paid $50,673.2
Of 2019 entrants, 78% graduated within 6 years, compared with a 56% median across 72 Ohio bachelor's colleges.2 Borrowers who finished have a median federal debt of $26,932, and median earnings 10 years after entry are $73,151.2 Denison kept 89% of its fall 2023 entrants into the next fall.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 14,580 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 2,468 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 636 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 2,405 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 650 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 710 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 650 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 29 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 32 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 26% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 25% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $71,000 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $86,900 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $40,163 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $15,189 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $10,150 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $15,569 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,419 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $50,673 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 78% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 89% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 15% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $73,151 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $26,932 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Ohio (N = 50) | $38,249 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Ohio (N = 72) | 56% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Denison, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page