Drake University
A good fit for students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. solid earnings of $68,700 within 10 years; financial aid brings net price below sticker.
About This School
Drake University is a private nonprofit institution located in Des Moines, Iowa with approximately 2,543 undergraduate students enrolled. Drake University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 64%. The average net price after financial aid is $29,127 per year. The graduation rate is 74%, and the typical graduate earns $68,700 within 10 years of enrollment.
Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It offers over 140 undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, education, law, and pharmacy. Drake University Law School was founded in 1865, which makes it one of the 25 oldest law schools in the United States.
Worth considering if you want a small, career-focused private university with real professional programs in law, pharmacy, and business — graduates earn a solid median of $68,700 a year out, and the relatively low median debt of $19,500 makes the return on investment look reasonable. The 77% graduation rate is decent but not exceptional, meaning roughly 1 in 4 students don't finish, so it's worth asking what support systems exist if a student hits a rough patch. At $30,042 average net price, it's not cheap, but the combination of outcomes and manageable debt puts it ahead of many similarly priced private schools.
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
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 3% 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.
Drake University graduates earn most above the national rate in Accounting and Related Services ($87,582 vs $76,194 nationally), and most below it in International Relations and National Security Studies ($49,764 vs $66,596).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 63 | $63,302 | $63,560 | −$258 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 51 | $97,132 | $86,176 | +$10,956 |
| Marketing | 49 | $71,246 | $69,303 | +$1,943 |
| Psychology, General | 41 | $47,706 | $50,706 | −$3,000 |
| Journalism | 37 | $62,969 | $56,278 | +$6,691 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 34 | $90,639 | $92,374 | −$1,735 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 34 | $88,637 | $83,343 | +$5,294 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 31 | $87,582 | $76,194 | +$11,388 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 25 | $67,547 | $65,466 | +$2,081 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 23 | $49,289 | $47,382 | +$1,907 |
| Political Science and Government | 19 | $67,257 | $63,293 | +$3,964 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 16 | $49,764 | $66,596 | −$16,832 |
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 degree here. 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 (2,543 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Drake 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 Drake University?
Drake University has an acceptance rate of 64%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Drake University hard to get into?
Drake University is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 64%. Solid grades and a complete application give most applicants a real shot.
How much does Drake University cost?
The average net price at Drake University is about $29,127 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 Drake University?
Drake University has a graduation rate of 74%, 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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