Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Depauw University #671 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,091, placing Depauw University in the 72.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Depauw University #270 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- CITED_FIELDS: [ "gold_public_institution_scores_4yr_api.composite_rank", "gold_public_institution_scores_4yr_api.composite_percentile", "gold_public_institution_scores_4yr_api.median_earnings_4yr", "gold_public_institution_scores_4yr_api.median_earnings_4yr_percentile", "gold_public_institution_scores_4yr_api.return_rank", "gold_public_institution_scores_4yr_api.return_index_percentile" ]
Azimuth ranks Depauw University #671 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Greencastle, Indiana, Depauw University enrolls roughly 1,905 undergraduates. Retention is 88.6% and the six-year graduation rate is 74.7%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a residential liberal arts institution. Where Depauw University performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Depauw University #270 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,091, a figure that reflects the institution's strength in preparing students for careers in business, education, and the social sciences — fields where Depauw University concentrates its academic portfolio. The social sciences form the dominant program family, anchoring the institution's degree output and shaping graduate career trajectories toward stable, moderate-earning pathways. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Depauw University sits in the 14.7 percentile for access and the 29.6 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. 16.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 16.4% are first-generation college students, reflecting a selective admissions posture that limits enrollment of lower-income students. Mobility outcomes sit in the 60.6 percentile, indicating that while graduates achieve solid earnings, the institution's low-income student outcomes and upward-mobility metrics do not rank among the strongest nationally. For families weighing Depauw University against peer institutions, the composite reflects a solid return-on-investment story tempered by higher sticker price and more limited access for low-income and first-generation students.
Depauw University's published cost of attendance is $74,320. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $11,820, middle-income families pay around $12,979, and higher-income families pay approximately $31,225. Azimuth ranks Depauw University #1004 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry: net prices by income band are medians within those bands, so individual aid packages vary, and some families in each band pay more or less than the figures shown. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $35,134; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Depauw University's median four-year earnings of $70,091, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Depauw University is a strong fit for students interested in the social sciences who want a private liberal arts college experience in IN. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,091, placing Depauw University in the 72.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a meaningful share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 16.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 16.4% are first-generation — with completion rates that support upward mobility. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 57.2% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors Social Sciences fields over some applied-professional disciplines. Students whose interests align with those areas will find strong outcomes.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Depauw University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Computer Science
41 graduates
Economics
61 graduates
Political Science and Government
23 graduates
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
20 graduates
Communication and Media Studies
50 graduates
Depauw University's program mix is anchored in the social sciences and liberal arts — a signature shaped by the institution's residential college identity and emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Economics is the largest program with 61 graduates, followed by Communication and Media Studies, Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Computer Science, and Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services.
Across 30 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering strong four-year earnings outcomes relative to peer institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Depauw University's positioning as a selective liberal arts college.
Computer Science graduates earn median earnings of $120,076 four years after enrollment, while Economics graduates earn $94,761 and Political Science graduates earn $79,117. Kinesiology and Communication and Media Studies round out the highest-earning programs, with graduates earning $71,696 and $69,228 respectively.
These outcomes span both direct-to-workforce pathways and fields where graduates often continue to graduate or professional school. Many of Depauw University's strongest programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — including psychology, biology, and chemistry — where four-year earnings undercount the trajectory of graduates who pursue medical school, graduate study, or other advanced credentials.
Business and economics programs represent high-mobility direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter the national labor market and earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national wage trends and hiring demand.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Butler University Higher acceptance rate (31.8 percentage points higher) and located 39 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IN | 86% | $77,235 | Compare |
Indiana University-Bloomington Higher acceptance rate (26.3 percentage points higher) and located 37 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IN | 80% | $63,742 | Compare |
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion Higher acceptance rate (28.2 percentage points higher) and located 87 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IN | 82% | $59,986 | Compare |
University Of Puget Sound Higher acceptance rate (22.2 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | WA | 76% | $69,594 | Compare |
Kalamazoo College Higher acceptance rate (22.2 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | MI | 76% | $65,590 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The College Of Saint Scholastica Similar quality tier in Midwest (#15817 ranked) | MN | 93% | $65,934 | #15817 | Compare |
Yeshiva University Similar quality tier (#15827 ranked) | NY | 56% | $71,353 | #15827 | Compare |
Pepperdine University Similar quality tier (#15815 ranked) | CA | 63% | $82,939 | #15815 | Compare |
Elmhurst University Similar quality tier in Midwest (#15828 ranked) | IL | 74% | $61,462 | #15828 | Compare |
Carlow University Similar quality tier (#15829 ranked) | PA | 87% | $51,051 | #15829 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Depauw University's published cost of attendance is $74,320. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $11,820, middle-income families pay around $12,979, and higher-income families pay approximately $31,225.
Azimuth ranks Depauw University #1004 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry: net prices by income band are medians within those bands, so individual aid packages vary, and some families in each band pay more or less than the figures shown.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $35,134; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Depauw University's median four-year earnings of $70,091, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Depauw University earn median 4-year earnings of $70,091, placing Depauw University in the 72.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Depauw University #270 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The program lineup shows strength concentrated in applied and professional fields. Economics is the largest program with 61 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $94,761, performing at 1.1x the national benchmark for the field.
The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 50 students earning median 4-year earnings of $69,228, also tracking above benchmark at 1.2x. Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology and Computer Science round out the largest cohorts, with Computer Science graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $120,076 at 1.1x the disciplinary benchmark.
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistic, Comparative, and the Related Language Studies and Services program graduates 27 students earning median 4-year earnings of $62,917. The concentration in Social Sciences (representing 19% of degrees) alongside Arts (8%) and Education (3%) reflects the institution's liberal arts mission anchored in humanities and social inquiry.
