1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Loyola University Chicago](/school/loyola-university-chicago/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # Loyola University Chicago Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/loyola-university-chicago/)[Cost & aid](/school/loyola-university-chicago/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/loyola-university-chicago/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/loyola-university-chicago/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/loyola-university-chicago/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at Loyola Chicago? Loyola Chicago’s reported acceptance rate is 81.6%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 81.6% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. First-year applicants and admitted students · CDS 2025-26 **Applicants** 43,778 **Admitted** 32,998 Source: Loyola University Chicago Common Data Set 2025-26, C1 · first-time, first-year students. How to interpret the acceptance rate Loyola University Chicago admits 81.6% of applicants, a rate that sits close to the median of 47.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 43,778 applicants, 32,998 admitted students, and 2,605 enrolled first-year students. ## What SAT and ACT scores do Loyola Chicago students report? In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported class-rank shares for enrolled first-year students who reported a rank. 37% placed in the upper tenth of their class. 69% placed in the upper quarter, and 92% in the upper half. Enrolled students who submitted SAT scores spanned from 1,170 to 1,360. The ACT range for enrolled submitters runs from 27 to 32. Applicants can weigh their own SAT results against the university's 1,170 to 1,360 range. They can weigh their ACT results against the 27 to 32 range. These figures describe enrolled submitters, not admission floors. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at Loyola Chicago. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Approximate lower endpoint** 1170 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1360 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. ACT: enrolled-student score range **25th percentile** 27 **75th percentile** 32 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. Figures cover fall 2024. ## Who enrolls at Loyola Chicago? **Pell Grant recipients** 23.7% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 13.7% **First-year retention** 81.7% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. Loyola University Chicago serves 11,737 undergraduates, of whom an estimated 13.7% entered as transfers or part-time students and 23.8% receive Pell Grants. That combination suggests a student body drawn from multiple paths, with a notable share who began their degrees elsewhere alongside significant financial need. Its 2025-26 Common Data Set lists 3,175 transfer applicants, with 1,541 admitted and 393 enrolled. The presence of both transfer students and Pell recipients shows a campus enrolling undergraduates from varied economic circumstances and prior academic experiences. Pell-eligible and transfer applicants should run the cost calculator to see an estimated aid package before applying. Loyola University Chicago graduates 73.0% of its first-time, full-time students within six years, a share above the peer median—the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size)—of 80.0%. First-year retention is 81.7%, coming in under the peer median of 90.1%. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that the first-time, full-time fall 2024 entering class returned at a rate of 85%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for Pell Grant recipients is 65.7%, falling 7.3 percentage points below the overall rate. The outcome picture is mixed: bachelor's completion runs ahead of comparable institutions, yet first-year persistence and Pell results both lag. Enrolled students can expect strong finishing rates alongside weaker early retention and uneven outcomes by aid status. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).