Elmhurst University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Elmhurst University, a private college in Illinois, reports a 74% acceptance rate and sits in the moderately selective band. In practice that means it admits more applicants than it rejects, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what Elmhurst University weighs, where it ranks among Illinois schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1230, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Elmhurst University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Elmhurst University?
Your odds at Elmhurst University are not the same as its 74% acceptance rate. 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 Elmhurst University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Elmhurst University hard to get into?
Elmhurst University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 74% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Elmhurst University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Elmhurst University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Elmhurst University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Elmhurst University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1130 SAT?
About 89% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1130 SAT, the middle of Elmhurst University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1260 SAT comes out near 98%. 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/elmhurst-university.
How to get into Elmhurst University
Built from Elmhurst University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at Elmhurst University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Elmhurst University carries about a 3.19 core GPA and a 1210 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 990 to 1260 SAT (23 to 30 ACT). Submit a score at 1125 or higher; below 990, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst University's exact dates at www.elmhurst.edu.
How many students apply to Elmhurst University, and how many get in?
Elmhurst University admitted 4,737 of the 6,254 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 75.7%. 607 enrolled. Only about 13% 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. Elmhurst University enrolls about 3,006 undergraduates in total, 62% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 15 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Elmhurst University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Elmhurst University scored between 990 and 1260 on the SAT (average 1151). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 23 to 30. A score above 1260 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 990 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst University looks for
What Elmhurst University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at Elmhurst University are 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 Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst University cost after financial aid?
Elmhurst University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $54,679 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $42,955. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $24,185 a year, and it ranges from $17,892 for families earning under $30,000 to $30,232 for families earning over $110,000. 37% 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 Elmhurst University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Elmhurst University student who received federal aid earns $61,462 a year, up from $52,803 at six years. 70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 80% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $20,489; 77% 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 Elmhurst University compares in Illinois
Elmhurst University ranks #22 most selective of 37 schools in Illinois in our database.
Among the 37 Illinois schools we track, Elmhurst University ranks #22 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Chicago (4%) and Northwestern University (8%) sit nearby, which makes Illinois a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Elmhurst University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting Elmhurst University often weigh Alfred University, Biola University, and Chestnut Hill College, which sit at a similar level. 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 Elmhurst University's acceptance rate?
Elmhurst University admitted 4,737 of 6,254 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 75.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 13% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Elmhurst University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 990 to 1260 on the SAT and 23 to 30 on the ACT. A score above 1260 is in the top quarter of admits. Elmhurst University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Elmhurst University test-optional?
Yes. Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Elmhurst University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $24,185 a year against a sticker price of about $54,679. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $17,892 on average.
What do Elmhurst University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Elmhurst University are $61,462 a year among students who received federal aid, and 70% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Elmhurst University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Elmhurst University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Elmhurst University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst 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.