Dillard University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 42%, Dillard University is a selective private college in Louisiana. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what Dillard University weighs, where it ranks among Louisiana schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1030, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Dillard 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.
Will I get into Dillard University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Dillard University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Dillard University?
Dillard University admits roughly 42% 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 Dillard University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Dillard University hard to get into?
Dillard University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 42% 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 Dillard University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Dillard University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Dillard University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Dillard University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Dillard 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 Dillard University with a 3.5 GPA and a 1090 SAT?
About 73% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1090 SAT, the middle of Dillard University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1200 SAT comes out near 84%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
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/dillard-university.
How to get into Dillard University
Built from Dillard 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 Dillard University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Dillard University carries about a 3.54 core GPA and a 1152 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 968 to 1202 SAT (18 to 22 ACT). Submit a score at 1085 or higher; below 968, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Dillard 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.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Dillard University's exact dates at www.dillard.edu.
How many students apply to Dillard University, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, Dillard University received 8,065 applications and admitted 3,267, an acceptance rate of 40.5%. 248 enrolled. Only about 8% 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. Dillard University enrolls about 1,063 undergraduates in total, 72% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Dillard University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Dillard University scored between 968 and 1202 on the SAT (average 1050). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 18 to 22. A score above 1202 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 968 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Dillard 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.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Dillard University looks for
What Dillard University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, Dillard 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 Dillard University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Dillard University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Dillard University cost after financial aid?
Dillard University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $39,202 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $23,918. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,094 a year, and it ranges from $19,819 for families earning under $30,000 to $27,019 for families earning over $110,000. 70% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
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 Dillard University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Dillard University student who received federal aid earns $39,196 a year, up from $28,507 at six years. 43% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $31,000; 79% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Dillard University compares in Louisiana
Dillard University ranks #3 most selective of 19 schools in Louisiana in our database.
Among the 19 Louisiana schools we track, Dillard University ranks #3 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Tulane University (14%) and Southern University (35%) sit nearby, which makes Louisiana a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Dillard University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around Dillard University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Dickinson College, Furman University, and Howard 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dillard University's acceptance rate?
Dillard University admitted 3,267 of 8,065 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 40.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 8% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Dillard University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 968 to 1202 on the SAT and 18 to 22 on the ACT. A score above 1202 is in the top quarter of admits. Dillard University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Dillard University test-optional?
Yes. Dillard 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 Dillard University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Dillard University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $22,094 a year against a sticker price of about $39,202. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $19,819 on average.
What do Dillard University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Dillard University are $39,196 a year among students who received federal aid, and 43% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Dillard University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Dillard University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Dillard University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Dillard University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Dillard 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 Dillard University specifically.
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.