National university
#3 Best colleges in the Pittsburgh areaDuquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $37,730 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,244 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- DUQ Day Open HouseOctober 24, 2026 · 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.A day of exploring campus and meeting current students and faculty.More about DUQ Day Open HouseAdd to calendar
- DUQ Day Open HouseNovember 7, 2026 · 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.A day of exploring campus and meeting current students and faculty.More about DUQ Day Open HouseAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#77 of 1,046
- Best colleges for nursing in America#128 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#142 of 1,132
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#232 of 1,829
- Best colleges for marketing in America#112 of 834
- Best colleges for business in America#228 of 1,563
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for education in America#196 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#191 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#119 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#253 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#329 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#240 of 1,283
- Best colleges in the Pittsburgh area#3 of 16
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#255 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#286 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#252 of 1,247
- Best mid-size colleges in America#137 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#252 of 1,215
- Best colleges for music in America#234 of 1,063
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#256 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#251 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#182 of 750
In Pennsylvania
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Pennsylvania#9 of 82
- Best colleges for nursing in Pennsylvania#8 of 68
- Best colleges for accounting in Pennsylvania#13 of 80
- Best colleges for business in Pennsylvania#19 of 108
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Pennsylvania#22 of 118
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Pennsylvania#17 of 90
Show 9 more
- Best colleges for education in Pennsylvania#17 of 85
- Best colleges in Pennsylvania#24 of 118
- Best test-optional colleges in Pennsylvania#24 of 113
- Best colleges for marketing in Pennsylvania#13 of 60
- Best colleges for psychology in Pennsylvania#23 of 105
- Best colleges for finance in Pennsylvania#13 of 58
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Pennsylvania#23 of 98
- Best colleges for English in Pennsylvania#22 of 87
- Best colleges for engineering in Pennsylvania#15 of 57
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,276 · ACT 29
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$16,449
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $67,776 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 5,226 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 37% · Women 63% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 17% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 27% |
| Total students | 8,137 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $37,730 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $67,776 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,244 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 77% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 72% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 75% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 82% |
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $74,742 |
| Admission rate | 84% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Admission College website | Rolling admission |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,077 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1276 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 600–670 |
| SAT math | 580–670 |
| ACT composite | 26–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Allied health | |
| Health administration | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Computer science | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Accounting | |
| Nursing | |
| Finance | |
| International business | |
| Business administration | |
| Rehabilitation and therapy | |
| Biology | |
| Management science | |
| Marketing | |
| Political science | |
| Business/Corporate Communications | |
| International relations | |
| Public relations | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Mathematics | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Software and media applications | |
| Sociology | |
| Journalism | |
| English | |
| Communication studies | |
| History | |
| Teacher education | |
| Psychology | |
| Secondary education | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Area studies, Behavioral Sciences, Business (general), Chemistry, Classics, Computational Science, Criminal justice, Data Analytics, Economics, Education (general), Entrepreneurship, Ethnic and gender studies, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Managerial economics, Natural resources and conservation, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-health, Public Policy Analysis, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Security science, Theatre, Theology, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Biology | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,374 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Atlantic 10 Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 9%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 48%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $74,913IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 68% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)About 13 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Town population | 304,759Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | PittsburghIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 30°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Pittsburgh Allegheny Co Airport, PA, about 7 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.12 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.12 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Duquesne University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 18% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Duquesne University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $37,730 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Duquesne University?
- Duquesne University admitted 84% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Duquesne University’s graduates do?
- 77% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $74,742; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,244.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 212106
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs; Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
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