Delaware State University — College Profile

About

Delaware State University, a leading public historically Black land-grant institution in Dover, is recognized for its commitment to social mobility and strong academic programs in aviation, nursing, agriculture, and business. The university stands out for its prestigious aviation program, which maintains its own dedicated fleet of aircraft to train a diverse pipeline of future commercial pilots. Campus life is steeped in vibrant HBCU traditions, fostering a close-knit, family-like community centered around active Greek life, spirited Homecoming events, and NCAA Division I athletics. Additionally, undergraduates benefit from high-level, hands-on research opportunities typically reserved for graduate students through specialized facilities like the Optical Science Center for Applied Research (OSCAR).

Wikipedia:Delaware State University is a privately governed, state-assisted historically black land-grant research university in Dover, Delaware. DSU also has two satellite campuses: one in Wilmington and one in Georgetown. The university encompasses four colleges and a diverse population of undergraduate and advanced-degree students. Delaware State University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".

Location

Dover, DE, 19901 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

PHL · Philadelphia

50 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$10,670$20,634

Housing & food (on campus)$16,664$16,664

Books & supplies$1,500$1,500

Cost of attendance$27,939$37,903 est.

Average net price$13,910Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$20,634

In-state: $10,670

Housing & food (on campus)$16,664

Books & supplies$1,500

Cost of attendance$37,903 est.

In-state: $27,939

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $13,910

est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$11,135

$30–48k

$12,452

$48–75k

$15,701

$75–110k

$17,633

$110k+

$17,326

Your family's actual price → Delaware State University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2025-26

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$15,086

Share of first-years who get one3%

Source: Delaware State University's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

39%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

28%

Back for yr 2

70%

Transferred

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

47% graduated · 6% transferred · 47% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$37,503

10 yrs after entry$49,307

Debt

Median at graduation$26,000

Monthly payment$276

Middle 50% owe$8k–$30.9k

90th percentile$41,000

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

47%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

940

R 420–520 · M 380–500

SAT middle 50%: 800–1020

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

How much essays count at Delaware State University: Not considered (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)

Source: Delaware State University's Common Data Set for 2025-26 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If Delaware State University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 35%Women 65%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

17 : 1

Pell grant

49%

First-gen

36%

Family income

$39,554

Independent

10%

Age at entry

20.0

Part-time

12%

Race & ethnicity

White

Hispanic

Black

76%

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Bowling
Women's
Equestrian
Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Women's
Lacrosse
Women's
Other Sports
Women's
Soccer
Women's
Softball
Women's
Tennis
Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$37,503

After 10 yrs

$49,307

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing66

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness57

Communication and Media Studies55

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities50

Psychology, General45

Business Administration, Management and Operations45

Criminology42

Biology, General39

Social Work31

Agriculture, General25

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods24

Public Health21

Political Science and Government19

Computer Science15

Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other15

Air Transportation15

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$37M

Full-time faculty

54%

Faculty salary

$8,869/mo

Teaching spend

$8,851

per student

Federal loans

52%

Classification

Carnegie type

Master's (medium programs)

Research activity

R2 — high research

$44M research spending · 42 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, inclusive admissions