Doctoral Universities

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$11,842

2.4% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$18,650

After Financial Aid

2023 Acceptance Rate

51%

8,319,586 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

6,819,231

77.9% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

71.4%

599,230 Graduates

About

Doctoral Universities is a Carnegie Classification grouping of higher education institutions. In 2023, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Doctoral Universities were General Business Administration & Management (108,139 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (66,810 degrees), and General Psychology (64,695 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Doctoral Universities is $11,842, which is $1,262 more than than the national median of $10,580. The cost of out-of-state tuition is $31,004, which is 262% of the cost for in-state students, and is $16,045 more than than the national median $14,959.

Costs

The median in-state tuition for Doctoral Universities is $11,842, which is $1,069 more than than the national median in-state tuition of $10,773. The cost of out-of-state tuition is $31,004, which is 262% of the cost for in-state students, and is $16,045 more than than the national median out-of-state tuition of $14,959.

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,650.

Tuition Costs

$11,842

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of out-of-state tuition at Doctoral Universities was $31,004, which is 262% of the cost for in-state students, which was $11,842. The cost of out-of-state tuition at Doctoral Universities is $16,045 more than than the overall (public and private) national median of $14,959, and the in-state tuition is $1,069 more than than the overall (public and private) national median $10,773.

This chart compares the tuition costs of Doctoral Universities (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$18,650

2023 Value

1.94%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Doctoral Universities had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,650. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Doctoral Universities grew by 1.94%.

This chart compares the average net price of Doctoral Universities (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,430

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Doctoral Universities was of $12,430 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 2.98% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Doctoral Universities (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

72%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

37%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

72% of undergraduate students at Doctoral Universities received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 6.49% with respect to 2022, when 77% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Doctoral Universities (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Doctoral Universities received 8,319,586 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 6.06% annual growth. Out of those 8,319,586 applicants, 4,241,866 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 51% acceptance rate.

There were 6,819,231 students enrolled at Doctoral Universities in 2023. 29.9% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Doctoral Universities has an overall enrollment yield of 22.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

51%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

4,241,866

Accepted Out of 8,319,586

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Doctoral Universities was 51% (4,241,866 admissions from 8,319,586 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 51.2%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 6.06%, while admissions grew by 5.66%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Doctoral Universities (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

29.9%

Submission Percentage (2023)

258,962

Scores Submitted (2023)

29.9% of enrolled first-time students at Doctoral Universities in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Doctoral Universities had a total enrollment of 6,819,231 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Doctoral Universities is 5,311,170 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,508,061. This means that 77.9% of students enrolled at Doctoral Universities are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Doctoral Universities, both undergraduate and graduate, is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.78% Black or African American, 9.65% Asian, 4.24% Two or More Races, 0.37% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.14% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Doctoral Universities in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (26.5%), followed by White Male (22.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (10.2%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (23.1%), followed by White Male (15.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

77.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Doctoral Universities, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,819,231 students. The full-time enrollment at Doctoral Universities is 5,311,170 and the part-time enrollment is 1,508,061. This means that 77.9% of students enrolled at Doctoral Universities are enrolled full-time.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Doctoral Universities (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

84%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Doctoral Universities was 84%.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Doctoral Universities (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
3,171,141 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,082,431 enrolled students
Black or African American
666,887 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.78% Black or African American, 9.65% Asian, 4.24% Two or More Races, 0.37% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.14% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 260,685 students (3.82%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 286,836 more women than men received degrees from Doctoral Universities. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Doctoral Universities is white (962,535 degrees awarded). There were 3.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (267,252 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Doctoral Universities is General Psychology (59,371 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (52,758 degrees) and General Business Administration & Management (51,087 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Doctoral Universities, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Engineering (162,017 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (14,992 degrees), and Math & Statistics (35,310 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Doctoral Universities are Software developers (549,050 people), Other managers (398,178 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (384,555 people), Civil engineers (306,346 people), and Mechanical engineers (220,026 people).

The most specialized majors at Doctoral Universities in 2023 are Engineering (162,017 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (14,992 degrees), Math & Statistics (35,310 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (10,083 degrees), and Physical Sciences (31,400 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Doctoral Universities are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at Doctoral Universities are Engineering (162,017 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (14,992 degrees), Math & Statistics (35,310 degrees), Cultural & Gender Studies (10,083 degrees), and Physical Sciences (31,400 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Doctoral Universities are Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (599,684 people), Computer Systems Design (595,855 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (586,455 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (488,330 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (357,488 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Doctoral Universities.

Most Common (2023)

General Psychology
59,371 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
52,758 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
51,087 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Doctoral Universities was General Psychology with 59,371 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Doctoral Universities according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

832,225

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

1,119,061

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 832,225 degrees were awarded to men at Doctoral Universities, which is 0.744 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,119,061).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Doctoral Universities by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 56,816 degrees were awarded to men at Doctoral Universities in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.11 times more than the 51,323 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 58,020 degrees were awarded to men at Doctoral Universities in Registered Nursing, which is 6.6 times more than the 8,790 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

50%

100% Completion Time

68%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 50% of students graduating from Doctoral Universities completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 68% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 70% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (85.6%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Doctoral Universities is Female and Asian (85.6% graduation rate). Across all , Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.97% of graduates (11782 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
962,535 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
267,252 degrees awarded
Asian
182,306 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Doctoral Universities is white (962,535 degrees awarded). There were 3.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (267,252 degrees).

3.53% of degree recipients (68,855 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
553,968 degrees awarded
White Male
408,567 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
165,801 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Doctoral Universities is white female (553,968 degrees awarded). There were 1.36 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (408,567 degrees).

Operations

Doctoral Universities has an endowment valued at nearly $434M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year.

In 2023, Doctoral Universities had a total salary expenditure of 623M. Doctoral Universities employs 90,692 Professors, 70,445 Associate professors and 63,967 Assistant professors. Most academics at Doctoral Universities are Male Professor (60,677), Male Associate professor (38,235), and Female Assistant professor (34,006).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Doctoral Universities are: Business and Financial Operations, with 136,349 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 126,781 employees, and Management with 124,311 employees.

Endowment

$434M

2023 Endowment

16.4%

growth from 2022

Doctoral Universities have a median endowment valued at about $434M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Doctoral Universities grew 16.4% from the previous year.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Doctoral Universities (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$55.4B - Federal
$6.22B - State
$1.09B - Local

As of 2023, Doctoral Universities received $55.4B in grants and contracts from the federal government, $6.22B from state grants and contracts, and $1.09B from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$261M

2023 Salaries

5.69%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Doctoral Universities paid a median of $261M in salaries, which represents 41.8% of their overall expenditure ($623M) and a 5.69% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.94% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 1.15% decline between 2020 and 2021.

Instructional Salaries

$35.3B

Instructional Salaries

284,610

Number of Employees

In 2023, Doctoral Universities paid a total of $35.3B to 284,610 employees working as instructors, which represents 17.6% of all salaries paid.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

90,692 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

136,349 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Doctoral Universities were Professor with 90,692 employees, Associate professor with 70,445 employees, and Assistant professor with 63,967 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Doctoral Universities were Business and Financial Operations with 136,349 employees, Computer, Engineering, and Science with 126,781 employees, and Management with 124,311 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Doctoral Universities was Male Professor with 60,677 employees, Male Associate professor with 38,235 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 34,006 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Doctoral Universities.