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DePauw University

#120 in US ranking Greencastle, IN
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$77,800
Tuition & fees
$61,430
Avg. aid
$42,882
Receiving aid
99%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
57%
SAT range
1200–1410
ACT range
28–32

Outcomes

Graduation rate
75%
Median salary
$48,314
1 yr after graduation

What is the history of DePauw University?

DePauw University is a private university in Greencastle, Indiana, founded in 1837 as Indiana Asbury University. The Methodist Episcopal Church established it, and the institution took its present name in 1884 in honor of Washington C. DePauw, a benefactor.

DePauw's history helps explain its present-day emphasis on undergraduate education in the liberal arts and sciences alongside music, business, and other professional interests. Its origins remain part of its institutional history, but applicants should evaluate the university's current academic programs and policies rather than assume that its nineteenth-century affiliation defines every aspect of campus life today.

What are the faculties and departments at DePauw University?

DePauw primarily offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees. Its academic organization includes the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and Leadership, and the Creative School, which brings together creative disciplines and programs.

Students can explore fields such as biology, computer science, economics, English, history, psychology, political science, music, and theater. DePauw's liberal-arts structure also makes courses outside a major part of the educational experience. Prospective students interested in a specific credential - particularly teaching, engineering, or a professionally regulated field - should check the current academic catalog for the exact degree, pathway, and requirements rather than infer them from a subject's presence in the course list.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 10 to 1. That describes institution-wide staffing relative to enrollment; it does not mean every class has ten students or that every course is taught by a full-time professor.

What is the location of DePauw University?

DePauw's campus is in Greencastle, a small city in west-central Indiana. Students considering it should expect a residential college setting rather than a large urban campus.

Greencastle provides everyday services near the university, while larger-city amenities generally require travel. Indianapolis International Airport is the nearest major airport; students should plan separately for transportation between the airport and campus. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus, though a car is not necessary for attending classes on a compact residential campus.

What is the mission and vision of DePauw University?

DePauw describes its educational purpose in terms of liberal learning, intellectual inquiry, leadership, and engagement with the wider world. These are the university's stated priorities, not measurable outcomes promised to every student.

In practice, applicants can assess that philosophy through the curriculum: requirements outside the major, opportunities to study across disciplines, and programs that connect classroom work with creative, civic, or professional experiences. DePauw was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church; students for whom religious identity matters should distinguish that history from the requirements and activities of the university as it operates today.

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DePauw University Profile - Basic Information

Name of the institution

DePauw University

Level of institution

Four or more years

Control of institution

Private

Setting type

Town: Distant

Institutional Category

Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or above

Institution size category

1,000 - 4,999

Religious affiliation

Protestant (United Methodist Church)

School type

Four-year college

Main student body

Coeducational

Calendar system

4-1-4

Foundation year

1837

DePauw University Accreditation

DePauw University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.

DePauw University Programs and Degrees

iconBachelor's degree

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.