75%
Acceptance Rate
$55,760
Avg Cost (In-State)
$55,760
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
79.7%
Graduation Rate
7,267
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling
Early Deadline
December 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Interview
Not required
Essays: One personal essay required through Common App or Coalition App
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
$55,047
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$62,105
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
69%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $70,226 | $81,525 | 224 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $60,055 | $93,647 | 60 |
| Marketing. | $42,729 | $72,251 | 58 |
| Psychology, General. | $34,295 | $58,862 | 51 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | $62,107 | $77,671 | 46 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $30,047 | $57,787 | 43 |
| Business/Managerial Economics. | $49,314 | $80,588 | 40 |
| Biology, General. | $34,620 | $65,517 | 38 |
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
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of Saint Louis University yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Saint Louis University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Saint Louis 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.
Saint Louis University Chess Scholarship
$5,000-$30,000+ + tournament fees
universityTop scholastic + collegiate chess players recruited to SLU chess team; partnered with Saint Louis Chess Club.
Deadline: Rolling through admissions
Learn more ↗Saint Louis University Magis Scholarship
$22,000-$28,000/year (renewable)
universitySLU incoming freshmen with strong academic merit below top tier; honors Jesuit Magis principle; tiered automatic award; renewable at 3.0 GPA.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Saint Louis University Billiken Scholarship
$12,000-$18,000/year
universitySLU incoming freshmen with academic merit below Magis tier; tiered automatic award named for SLU mascot Billiken; renewable at 2.75 GPA.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Saint Louis University Dean's Diversity Scholarship
$5,000-$10,000/year (renewable)
universitySLU incoming freshmen from underrepresented backgrounds; demonstrate academic merit + commitment to advancing diversity + equity; cohort programming.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗Saint Louis University Vice President for Mission Scholarship
$15,000-$25,000/year (renewable)
universitySLU incoming freshmen who exemplify Jesuit mission + commitment to service, justice, faith; demonstrate strong academics + Catholic identity; renewable at 3.0 GPA.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Truman State President's Honorary Scholarship
$11,000-$14,000/year (full tuition)
universityTop automatic merit at MO public liberal arts; 30+ ACT/3.8 GPA range.
Deadline: December 1 (priority)
Learn more ↗Missouri Access Missouri
Up to $2,850 (4-yr publics); $2,150 (CC); $4,600 (privates)
stateMO residents with financial need at MO postsecondary institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA by February 1
Learn more ↗Missouri Bright Flight
Up to $3,000/year
stateMO residents in top 3% of MO ACT scores (~31+ ACT or equivalent).
Deadline: FAFSA by February 1
Learn more ↗Cottey College Transfer Scholarship
Merit + need-based aid for women transferring from Cottey College to 4-year
universityWomen completing the 2-year associate degree at Cottey College (women's college in Nevada, MO, owned by PEO Sisterhood) transferring to a 4-year institution; comprehensive transfer support + PEO network.
Deadline: Apply through Cottey
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 75% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
75.04%
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.
17.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
14.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
40.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
18.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
17.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
91.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
78.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO
74.7% acceptance
Both admit around 75% of applicants, with 11k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC
75.3% acceptance
Both admit around 75% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA
74.5% acceptance
Both admit around 75% of applicants, with 12k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 75%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $56k.
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
69.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (70% vs 75%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $56k.
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
76.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (77% vs 75%) but out-of-state cost runs $16k — meaningfully less than $56k.
Reaches above this college
University of Akron Main Campus
Akron, OH
59.7% acceptance
Same u setting in the Midwest, but more selective (60% vs 75%) — a stretch target if Saint Louis University is already on your list.
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
54.6% acceptance
Same u setting in the region, but more selective (55% vs 75%) — a stretch target if Saint Louis University is already on your list.
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
53% acceptance
Same u setting in the Midwest, but more selective (53% vs 75%) — a stretch target if Saint Louis University is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH
85.3% acceptance
Same u setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (85% vs 75%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, NE
87% acceptance
Same u setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (87% vs 75%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
90.7% acceptance
Same u setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (91% vs 75%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for Saint Louis University — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.