National university
#14 Best colleges for NAIA athletes in AmericaUniversity of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $13,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,079 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Honors Visit DayNovember 3, 2026More about Honors Visit DayAdd to calendar
- Campus Visit DayNovember 15, 2026More about Campus Visit DayAdd to calendar
- Honors Visit DayDecember 1, 2026More about Honors Visit DayAdd to calendar
- Honors Visit DayFebruary 2, 2027More about Honors Visit DayAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events (5 more) · 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 value colleges in the Midwest in America#9 of 177
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#37 of 690
- Best colleges for NAIA athletes in America#14 of 221
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#52 of 681
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#58 of 682
- Best value colleges in America#61 of 674
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- Best online colleges in America#17 of 167
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#156 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#119 of 605
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#122 of 598
- Best small colleges in America#190 of 906
- Best colleges for accounting in America#250 of 1,132
- Best colleges for nursing in America#237 of 1,068
- Best colleges in the Chicago area#9 of 39
- Best colleges for business in America#368 of 1,563
- Best colleges for marketing in America#201 of 834
- Best colleges for education in America#319 of 1,318
In Illinois
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Illinois#2 of 21
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Illinois#5 of 36
- Best small colleges in Illinois#4 of 25
- Best value colleges in Illinois#4 of 21
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in Illinois#4 of 21
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Illinois#4 of 21
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- Best colleges for accounting in Illinois#8 of 41
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Illinois#4 of 20
- Best colleges for nursing in Illinois#7 of 33
- Best colleges for marketing in Illinois#8 of 35
- Best colleges for social work in Illinois#5 of 21
- Best colleges for education in Illinois#12 of 49
- Best colleges in Illinois#14 of 57
- Best colleges for business in Illinois#13 of 52
- Best test-optional colleges in Illinois#14 of 56
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Illinois#15 of 57
- Best colleges for English in Illinois#13 of 49
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.67%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,141 · ACT 26
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.15 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$6,677
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 paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $46,239 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
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) | 1,306 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 35% · Women 65% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 42% |
| Total students | 3,185 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $13,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $46,239 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,079 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 67% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 61% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 63% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 65% |
| First-year retention | 79% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $63,926 |
| Admission rate | 65% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,581 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 39% |
| Average SAT | 1141 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 520–610 |
| SAT math | 510–610 |
| ACT composite | 20–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 8% (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 |
|---|---|
| Human resources | |
| Nursing | |
| Health administration | |
| Accounting | |
| Management science | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Marketing | |
| Biology | |
| Social work | |
| Teacher education | |
| Psychology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Biochemistry, Business administration, Clinical and counseling psychology, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Computer science, Computing and information science, Counseling and mental health, Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, Economics, English, Entrepreneurship, Finance, History, Information technology, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Political science, Secondary education, Special education, Theology, Visual and performing arts.
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 | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 13% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 19% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,980 |
| Sports | NAIA · Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 15 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 97%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $13,564IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 34% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)About 25 miles away · about 1 hour by car |
| Town population | 150,445Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | ChicagoAbout 30 miles away · about 55 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 24°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Joliet Brandon Rd Dam, IL |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is University of St. Francis’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 27% 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 University of St. Francis cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $13,000 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 University of St. Francis?
- University of St. Francis admitted 65% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of St. Francis’s graduates do?
- 67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $63,926; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,079.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 148584
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
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