Elon acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Elon University · Private nonprofit · Elon, NC · 6,402 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Elon admitted 67.3% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 54.0% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $48,723 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 54.0% | 9,949 | 5,370 |
| 2014 | 53.9% | 10,443 | 5,632 |
| 2015 | 57.2% | 10,256 | 5,866 |
| 2016 | 60.4% | 10,098 | 6,103 |
| 2017 | 66.5% | 9,623 | 6,402 |
| 2018 | 72.1% | 10,729 | 7,740 |
| 2019 | 78.4% | 10,500 | 8,236 |
| 2020 | 71.7% | 15,306 | 10,975 |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 17,834 | 13,859 |
| 2022 | 74.5% | 17,551 | 13,069 |
| 2023 | 67.3% | 18,791 | 12,649 |
Applications went from 9,949 in fall 2013 to 18,791 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 | $20,986 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $21,272 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $21,374 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $30,529 |
| Over $110,000 | $46,478 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $48,723 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $65,240 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $35,785 |
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: 2% submitted the SAT, 1% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| High Point University NC | 76.8% | $49,146 same for all |
| Wingate University NC | 85.0% | $41,686 same for all |
| Wake Forest NC | 21.6% | $70,332 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Elon University admitted 12,649 applicants out of 18,791 for fall 2023, giving it a 67.3% admit rate.1 The rate in fall 2013 was 54.0%, and the overall increase is 13.3 percentage points.1 A peak of 78.4% came in fall 2019, and the rate declined in 4 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 89%, while admits grew 136% from 5,370 to 12,649.1
Test scores are optional and few entrants send them, only 2% for the SAT and 1% for the ACT, so score ranges are thin.1
Elon charges a single tuition and fee amount of $48,723 for 2025-26, compared with a median of $35,180 among the 39 private colleges in North Carolina.2 Net price in 2024-25 was $20,986 for the $0 to $30,000 band, $21,374 for $48,001 to $75,000 and $46,478 for families earning over $110,000.2
Of 2019 entrants, 81% finished within 6 years, where the state median is 47% across 56 colleges.2 Retention into the following fall was 90%.2 At 10 years after entry the median earnings were $82,524, and borrowers graduated with a median federal debt of $19,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,791 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 12,649 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,677 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 6,402 | 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 | 580 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 675 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 563 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 630 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 23 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 2% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 1% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $48,723 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $65,240 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $35,785 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $20,986 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $21,272 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $21,374 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $30,529 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $46,478 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 81% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 90% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 13% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $82,524 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, North Carolina (N = 39) | $35,180 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, North Carolina (N = 56) | 47% | 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 Elon, 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