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Selective2026-2027 admissions cycle

Delaware State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 47%, Delaware State University is a selective public university in Delaware. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Your odds at Delaware State University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Delaware State University weighs, where it ranks among Delaware schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1060, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
47%
Selective
SAT middle 50%
800-1020
of admitted students
Type
Public
Dover, DE
Average net price
$13,910
per year after aid

What do students study at Delaware State University?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Business, Management and Marketing · 79 (12.7%)Liberal Arts and General Studies · 70 (11.3%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 69 (11.1%)Biological and Biomedical Sciences · 64 (10.3%)Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies · 56 (9%)Psychology · 47 (7.6%)Social Sciences · 43 (6.9%)Communication and Journalism · 33 (5.3%)Public Administration and Social Service · 23 (3.7%)Education · 22 (3.5%)Computer and Information Sciences · 20 (3.2%)Agriculture and Agricultural Operations · 19 (3.1%)

Will I get into Delaware State University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Delaware State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Delaware State University?

Delaware State University admits roughly 47% of applicants, but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Delaware State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Delaware State University hard to get into?

Delaware State University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 47% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.

What GPA do you need to get into Delaware State University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Delaware State University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Delaware State University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

Calculate your chances at Delaware State University →

Your chances at Delaware State University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Delaware State University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Delaware State University with a 3.5 GPA and a 910 SAT?

About 59% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 910 SAT, the middle of Delaware State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1020 SAT comes out near 83%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Delaware State University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 80025th pctSAT 910middleSAT 102075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.918%Reach28%Target41%Target31%Target
3.229%Target42%Target57%Likely50%Likely
3.545%Likely59%Likely72%Safety70%Safety
3.861%Likely73%Safety83%Safety84%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/delaware-state-university.

How to get into Delaware State University

Built from Delaware State University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Here is how to get into Delaware State University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Delaware State University carries about a 3.48 core GPA and a 970 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Decide on scores with the real range

The admitted middle 50% is 800 to 1020 SAT (20 to 24 ACT). Submit a score at 910 or higher; below 800, apply test-optional if the policy allows.

Step 3
Build the file around what Delaware State University weighs

Delaware State University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 4
Apply in the round that helps

Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Delaware State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.desu.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.

See your odds and your top moves at Delaware State University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.desu.edu ↗

How many students apply to Delaware State University, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, Delaware State University received 7,542 applications and admitted 4,651, an acceptance rate of 61.7%. 1,405 enrolled. Only about 30% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Delaware State University enrolls about 4,398 undergraduates in total, 65% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1.

Applied
7,542
fall 2023
Admitted
4,651
61.7% of applicants
Enrolled
1,405
30% yield
Undergraduates
4,398
Dover, small city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Delaware State University?

Admitted students at Delaware State University post SAT scores of 800 to 1020 in the middle 50%, with an average of 940. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 20 to 24. A score above 1020 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 800 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Delaware State University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.

SAT middle 50%
800-1020
average 940
ACT middle 50%
20-24
of admitted students
Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Delaware State University looks for

What Delaware State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, Delaware State University leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Delaware State University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Important
Standardized test scores
Very important

SAT score positioning at Delaware State University

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Delaware State University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100Above the admitted 75th percentile
Colleges for a 1060 SAT →Colleges for a 20 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Delaware State University cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Delaware State University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $27,939 a year. Tuition and fees are $10,670 for DE residents and $20,634 for out-of-state students, a $9,964 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,910 a year, and it ranges from $11,135 for families earning under $30,000 to $17,326 for families earning over $110,000. 49% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$27,939
per year, before aid
Average net price
$13,910
after grants and scholarships
In-state tuition
$10,670
$20,634 out of state
Pell recipients
49%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$11,135
$30k to $48k$12,452
$48k to $75k$15,701
$75k to $110k$17,633
Over $110k$17,326

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Delaware State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Delaware State University students ten years after entry are $49,307 ($37,503 at the six-year mark). 39% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 70% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $26,000; 52% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$49,307
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
39%
within six years
Retention
70%
return for year two
Median debt
$26,000
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Delaware State University compares in Delaware

Delaware State University ranks #1 most selective of 4 schools in Delaware in our database.

Among the 4 Delaware schools we track, Delaware State University ranks the most selective by acceptance rate. Nothing else in the state is harder to get into; the next tier down includes Wilmington University (DE) at 68%. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.

Wilmington University (DE)
68%acceptance · DE
University of Delaware
71%acceptance · DE
Goldey-Beacom College
85%acceptance · DE
See all Delaware schools →

Similar to Delaware State University

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Build around Delaware State University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Auburn University, Cal State Long Beach, and Coppin State University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

Auburn University
46%acceptance · AL
Cal State Long Beach
46%acceptance · CA
Coppin State University
46%acceptance · MD
Baruch College
48%acceptance · NY
Governors State University
48%acceptance · IL
Alcorn State University
45%acceptance · MS

Frequently asked questions

What is Delaware State University's acceptance rate?

Delaware State University admitted 4,651 of 7,542 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 61.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 30% of admitted students enrolled.

What SAT score do you need for Delaware State University?

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 800 to 1020 on the SAT and 20 to 24 on the ACT. A score above 1020 is in the top quarter of admits. Delaware State University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.

Is Delaware State University test-optional?

Yes. Delaware State University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.

How much does Delaware State University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Delaware State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $13,910 a year against a sticker price of about $27,939. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $11,135 on average.

What do Delaware State University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Delaware State University are $49,307 a year among students who received federal aid, and 39% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Delaware State University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Delaware State University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Delaware State University favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, Delaware State University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.

How can I improve my chances at Delaware State University?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Delaware State University specifically.

How does residency affect admission to Delaware State University?

As a public university, Delaware State University typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.

Is Delaware State University a target or a reach for an average applicant?

For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near Delaware State University's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.