Aurora University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. financial aid brings net price below sticker.
About This School
Aurora University is a private nonprofit institution located in Aurora, Illinois with approximately 4,021 undergraduate students enrolled. Aurora University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 85%. The average net price after financial aid is $18,992 per year. The graduation rate is 58%, and the typical graduate earns $46,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
Aurora University (AU) is a private university in Aurora, Illinois, United States. Established in 1893 as a seminary of the Advent Christian Church, the university has been independent since 1971. Approximately 6,200 students are enrolled in the university's undergraduate and graduate programs. It was a women's college from 1893 until 1960.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: the $18,992 average net price and a modest $15,500 median debt load make Aurora genuinely affordable, but a 58% graduation rate means roughly 4 in 10 students who start here don't finish — worth asking hard questions about support and fit before enrolling. Median earnings of $46,200 a decade out are reasonable given the cost, making this a defensible choice financially if you do graduate. Worth considering if you want a smaller private school experience without private school debt, but come with a clear plan to stay on track.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 9% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Aurora University graduates earn most above the national rate in Criminal Justice and Corrections ($60,808 vs $55,378 nationally), and most below it in Computer Science ($90,089 vs $107,009).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 216 | $84,022 | $88,910 | −$4,888 |
| Social Work | 175 | $55,546 | $51,790 | +$3,756 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 163 | $64,446 | $68,257 | −$3,811 |
| Psychology, General | 102 | $55,697 | $50,706 | +$4,991 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 83 | $46,609 | $47,382 | −$773 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 76 | $60,808 | $55,378 | +$5,430 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 52 | $49,471 | $54,562 | −$5,091 |
| Marketing | 47 | $64,813 | $69,303 | −$4,490 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 44 | $52,987 | $61,911 | −$8,924 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 35 | $77,436 | $83,343 | −$5,907 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 25 | $50,079 | $56,359 | −$6,280 |
| Computer Science | 24 | $90,089 | $107,009 | −$16,920 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (4,021 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Aurora University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Aurora University?
Aurora University has an acceptance rate of 85%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Aurora University hard to get into?
Not especially. Aurora University has an acceptance rate of 85%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Aurora University cost?
The average net price at Aurora University is about $18,992 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Aurora University?
Aurora University has a graduation rate of 58%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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