University of Dayton acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of Dayton, a private college in Ohio, reports a 65% 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 University of Dayton weighs, where it ranks among Ohio schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1330, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of Dayton?
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 University of Dayton?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Dayton, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Dayton?
Your odds at University of Dayton are not the same as its 65% 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 University of Dayton in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Dayton hard to get into?
University of Dayton is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 65% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Dayton?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Dayton, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. University of Dayton reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Dayton by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Dayton 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 University of Dayton with a 3.1 GPA and a 1290 SAT?
About 82% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1290 SAT, the middle of University of Dayton's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1380 SAT comes out near 96%. 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/university-of-dayton.
How to get into University of Dayton
Built from University of Dayton'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 University of Dayton, 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 University of Dayton carries about a 3.29 core GPA and a 1330 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1200 to 1380 SAT (25 to 31 ACT). Submit a score at 1290 or higher; below 1200, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Dayton 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 University of Dayton's exact dates at udayton.edu.
How many students apply to University of Dayton, and how many get in?
University of Dayton admitted 14,023 of the 22,747 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 61.6%. 1,904 enrolled. Only about 14% 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. University of Dayton enrolls about 7,682 undergraduates in total, 47% 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 University of Dayton?
Admitted students at University of Dayton post SAT scores of 1200 to 1380 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1335. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 25 to 31. A score above 1380 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1200 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Dayton 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 University of Dayton looks for
What University of Dayton weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of Dayton 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 University of Dayton'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 University of Dayton
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 University of Dayton cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of Dayton (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $65,881 a year. Tuition and fees alone are $49,140. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $29,533 a year, and it ranges from $21,736 for families earning under $30,000 to $33,731 for families earning over $110,000. 16% 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 University of Dayton graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of Dayton students ten years after entry are $75,537 ($62,477 at the six-year mark). 80% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 89% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $23,250; 40% 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 University of Dayton compares in Ohio
University of Dayton ranks #12 most selective of 45 schools in Ohio in our database.
Among the 45 Ohio schools we track, University of Dayton ranks #12 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Denison University (17%) and Kenyon College (31%) sit nearby, which makes Ohio a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to University of Dayton
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of Dayton often weigh Bryant University, Sacred Heart University, and Cedarville University, 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 University of Dayton's acceptance rate?
University of Dayton admitted 14,023 of 22,747 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 61.6% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 14% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Dayton?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1200 to 1380 on the SAT and 25 to 31 on the ACT. A score above 1380 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Dayton is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Dayton test-optional?
Yes. University of Dayton 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 University of Dayton cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Dayton, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $29,533 a year against a sticker price of about $65,881. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $21,736 on average.
What do University of Dayton graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Dayton are $75,537 a year among students who received federal aid, and 80% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Dayton value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Dayton weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Dayton consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. University of Dayton'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 University of Dayton?
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 University of Dayton specifically.
What are the admission requirements for University of Dayton?
University of Dayton reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
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.