Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois · Private Nonprofit · 90.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 68/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois posts a 68 ROI score and falls into the Fair Value tier. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Catholic liberal arts school punching above its weight on earnings: median ten-year earnings of $60,327 against a $39,000 six-year mark give an earnings premium of 53.9 percent over the high-school baseline, the top sub-score in the model. Payback period is just 7.4 years. Net price comes in at $11,745 against a $38,978 sticker, meaning institutional aid is meaningful for most income brackets. Total four-year cost is $46,980. The drag on the score is debt-to-earnings (0.626, sub-score 45) and the modest 55.3 percent completion rate. Median debt is $24,411. Repayment is decent at 71 percent at three years, climbing to 78 percent at seven. Program-level data shows strong outcomes in Computer Science (B+), Nursing (B+), and Accounting (C+), and meaningful weakness across the humanities and social sciences. This is a school that genuinely earns its Fair Value label.
Dominican University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $38,978/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $38,978/yr |
| Average net price | $11,745/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $46,980 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $60,327 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,411 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $259 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,561 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $38,978/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $11,745/year, or roughly $46,980 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,759/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,963/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,411, which works out to about $259 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,000) and comes to 0.63, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,759 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,014 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,891 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,851 |
| $110,001+ | $17,963 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $9,759, with a notable inversion: the $30,001 to $48,000 bracket pays less at $9,014. That is a small-sample anomaly worth flagging but does not undercut the basic message that low-income families pay roughly $36,000 over four years. Against $60,327 median earnings ten years out, the math works particularly well for low-income students who pick high-ROI majors and complete.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $9,014 (the $30,001 to $48,000 tier) to $11,891 (the $48,001 to $75,000 tier). Combined with strong earnings outcomes, this is a defensible private-college choice for middle-income Chicago-area families.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $17,963 with the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket at $16,851. The progression is normal. High-income families with a Catholic-values preference will find the math defensible, particularly for students targeting CS, Nursing, or Accounting.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Dominican University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $51,093 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $80,703 | B+ |
| Natural Sciences | $56,555 | D |
| Biology | $46,040 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,871 | C |
| Accounting | $77,878 | C+ |
| Political Science and Government | $52,775 | D |
| Sociology | $54,686 | D |
| Teacher Education | $53,810 | C |
| Computer Science | $86,730 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing earns B+ with 30 graduates, $70,530 first-year median earnings rising to $80,703 by year four, $23,083 in debt, and a 0.327 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is a flagship program at Dominican with high regional demand in Chicago hospital systems. The combination of strong earnings, manageable debt, and clear career path makes this a strong nursing value.
Computer Science
Computer Science posts B+ ROI with $86,730 year-four median earnings, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.311 debt-to-earnings ratio. Just 14 graduates per year, so the cohort is small but outcomes are excellent. Chicago's tech and finance sectors absorb CS graduates readily, and Dominican's HSI status creates pipelines to companies actively recruiting Latina/Latino tech talent.
Accounting
Accounting earns C+ with 20 graduates, $57,187 first-year earnings climbing to $77,878 by year four against $26,000 in debt and a 0.455 debt-to-earnings ratio. The CPA pathway in Chicago is well-supported, and Big Four and regional firms recruit at Dominican. The combination of strong earnings and reasonable debt makes this the third clearly-defensible program at the school.
Psychology
Psychology is the largest cohort at 38 graduates with a D grade. First-year earnings of $30,846 against $23,832 in debt produce a 0.773 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings of $51,093 show improvement but the entry-level squeeze is real. Students should only commit to this as a terminal bachelor's if they have a clear post-grad plan; otherwise consider graduate school in clinical, counseling, or applied psychology.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 23 graduates with a C grade. First-year earnings of $45,045 grow to $66,871 by year four, with $26,000 in debt and a 0.577 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year earnings figure is healthy and shows clear progression. A solid program with reasonable returns for students who don't make it into the more selective Nursing or CS tracks.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Dominican University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 90.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-560 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-26 |
| Enrollment | 2,561 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 51.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,029 |
Dominican admits 90.3 percent of applicants, making it broadly accessible. SAT mid-range is roughly 420 to 540 math and 460 to 560 reading; ACT mid-range is 16 to 26, an unusually wide ACT band that suggests both struggling and stronger students are admitted. The 55.3 percent completion rate reflects the wide admit profile: students who arrive better prepared finish, but the open-door posture also captures students with weaker readiness. Selectivity correlates with completion here in the expected direction.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Dominican's earnings-premium sub-score is 91.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican University (this school) | 68 | $11,745 | $60,327 |
| Saint Peter's University | 68 | $12,199 | $57,815 |
| Augustana College | 67 | $22,736 | $62,971 |
| St Catherine University | 66 | $19,764 | $59,282 |
| Utica University | 66 | $19,108 | $63,277 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 21 | $49,790 | $40,151 |
Who Thrives Here
Dominican fits a Chicago-area first-generation or Latina/Latino student aiming at Computer Science, Nursing, or Accounting, who can finish and wants a values-aligned Catholic-Dominican environment. Pell rate is 51.5 percent, indicating a strongly need-tested student body. Enrollment is 2,561, midsize for the private-college tier. Outcomes look strong for students who land in the right major and who finish. Poor fits are students drifting into Psychology, Sociology, or general humanities tracks without graduate-school plans.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Dominican University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $11,745 a year after aid ($46,980 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $60,327 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $24,411 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Dominican University: Common Questions
Is Dominican University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Dominican University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 68/100 on our ROI scale. At $11,745 a year after aid ($46,980 over four years) against $60,327 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Dominican University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $11,745 a year, or roughly $46,980 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Dominican University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $60,327 ten years after enrolling, roughly $18,527 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Dominican University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7.4 years for Dominican University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Dominican University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,411, against average earnings of $39,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Dominican University?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.3%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.