National university
#8 Best colleges for criminal justice in AmericaVillanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $43,756 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,874 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Villanova University Campus Tour · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
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#8 of 1,046
- Best colleges for marketing in America#13 of 834
- Best colleges for accounting in America#19 of 1,132
- Best colleges for nursing in America#18 of 1,068
- Best colleges for finance in America#16 of 744
- Best colleges for business in America#42 of 1,563
Show 24 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#58 of 1,829
- Best colleges for education in America#42 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#40 of 1,238
- Best colleges in America#79 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#65 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#72 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#67 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#67 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#70 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#67 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#70 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#70 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#70 of 1,116
- Best mid-size colleges in America#44 of 667
- Best colleges for computer science in America#51 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#52 of 749
- Best colleges for economics in America#69 of 788
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#74 of 693
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#40 of 367
- Most selective colleges in America#92 of 683
- Best colleges in the Philadelphia area#6 of 41
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#128 of 598
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#154 of 704
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#159 of 690
In Pennsylvania
- Best colleges for nursing in Pennsylvania#2 of 68
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Pennsylvania#3 of 82
- Best colleges for business in Pennsylvania#4 of 108
- Best colleges for accounting in Pennsylvania#3 of 80
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Pennsylvania#5 of 118
- Best colleges for education in Pennsylvania#4 of 85
Show 23 more
- Best colleges for psychology in Pennsylvania#6 of 105
- Best colleges in Pennsylvania#7 of 118
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Pennsylvania#6 of 98
- Best test-optional colleges in Pennsylvania#7 of 113
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Pennsylvania#4 of 62
- Best colleges for marketing in Pennsylvania#4 of 60
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Pennsylvania#6 of 90
- Best colleges for finance in Pennsylvania#4 of 58
- Best colleges for English in Pennsylvania#6 of 87
- Best mid-size colleges in Pennsylvania#3 of 43
- Best colleges for history in Pennsylvania#6 of 80
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Pennsylvania#6 of 80
- Best colleges for chemistry in Pennsylvania#6 of 77
- Best colleges for mathematics in Pennsylvania#6 of 77
- Best colleges for art and design in Pennsylvania#6 of 74
- Best colleges for engineering in Pennsylvania#5 of 57
- Best colleges for economics in Pennsylvania#5 of 53
- Best colleges for computer science in Pennsylvania#5 of 44
- Most selective colleges in Pennsylvania#7 of 60
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Pennsylvania#8 of 54
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Pennsylvania#3 of 15
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Pennsylvania#14 of 62
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Pennsylvania#15 of 62
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.92%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.95%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,460 · ACT 33
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.10 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$21,398
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: $84,793 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) | 7,063 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 13% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 79% |
| Total students | 10,111 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $43,756 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $84,793 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,874 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 92% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 83% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 78% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 90% |
| First-year retention | 95% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $100,423 |
| Admission rate | 27% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $80 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,520 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 12% |
| Average SAT | 1460 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 685–740 |
| SAT math | 710–770 |
| ACT composite | 32–34 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Finance | |
| Real Estate | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Accounting | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Management information systems | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Business administration | |
| Mathematics | |
| Management science | |
| International business | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Marketing | |
| Economics | |
| Nursing | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Romance languages | |
| Political science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Physical Sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| History | |
| Liberal arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Classics, Communications Technologies/Technicians, Computer science, Criminology, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Fine arts, Geography, Global studies, Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Other public administration and social service professions, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Physics, Public administration, Religious studies, Sociology, Statistics, Teacher education, Theology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Social sciences | |
| Health professions | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 3% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,694 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big East Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 14%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 63%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $133,094IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 76% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)About 13 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Town population | 9,186Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | PhiladelphiaAbout 11 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 32°F in January · 78°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Norristown, PA, about 5 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 | 0.30 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.10 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.30 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.30 | 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 Villanova University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 5% 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 Villanova University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $43,756 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 Villanova University?
- Villanova University admitted 27% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Villanova University’s graduates do?
- 92% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $100,423; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,874.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 216597
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Villanova vs Loyola Marymount · Villanova vs University of San Diego · Villanova vs Fordham · Villanova vs Boston
More in Pennsylvania · Pennsylvania rankings