Drake University
Des Moines, IA
63.9%
Acceptance Rate
$52,130
Avg Cost (In-State)
$52,130
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
75.7%
Graduation Rate
2,543
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to education collegesBy the numbers
Drake University, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
March 1
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common App personal essay required (250-650 words)
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$58,233
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$71,901
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
76%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | $80,044 | $97,132 | 49 |
| Marketing. | $51,968 | $71,246 | 48 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $62,049 | $88,637 | 36 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | $44,492 | $63,302 | 35 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $69,835 | $90,639 | 30 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $47,806 | $73,523 | 24 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $41,630 | $49,289 | 24 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | $65,922 | $87,582 | 20 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Drake University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Drake University
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Drake Scholarship Foundation
$1,000-$5,000
nationalDrake University-bound HS seniors + Drake-area HS seniors.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Iowa State Cardinal Scholarship
$3,500-$5,000/year (OOS)
universityOOS students with 25-29 ACT/1200-1340 SAT + 3.50+ GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Grinnell College Trustee Honor Scholarship
$25,000-$32,000/year
universityTop Grinnell incoming freshmen via competitive process; merit-based at one of the more generous LACs.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Iowa Tuition Grant
Up to $7,000/year
stateIA residents attending IA private 4-year nonprofit colleges with financial need.
Deadline: FAFSA by July 1
Learn more ↗All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship
Up to $9,250/year
stateIA residents with significant financial need + priority to former foster youth, homeless youth.
Deadline: FAFSA by July 1
Learn more ↗Iowa State University Honors Program Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universityIowa State Honors Program admits with academic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Iowa State Cyclone Aide Scholarship
$3,000-$8,000/year
universityIA State Cyclone Aide ambassadors with academic merit + service.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Iowa Honors at Iowa Scholarship
$3,000-$7,500/year
universityTop U of Iowa Honors Program admits with academic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship
Last-dollar at IA CCs in high-demand fields
stateIA HS grads or adults pursuing in-demand certificates/diplomas/degrees at IA community colleges.
Deadline: Apply via FAFSA + school
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $25,824 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $23,275 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $25,171 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $27,408 |
| $110,001+ | $33,126 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Drake University →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 63.9% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
63.85%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
14.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
14.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
31.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
13.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
15.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
84.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
76.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Important
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