DeSales University — College Profile

About

DeSales University is a private, Salesian Catholic institution in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, best known for its powerhouse performing arts division and competitive healthcare programs such as direct-entry Nursing and Physician Assistant studies. The university uniquely bridges pre-professional training with the arts, standing out as the proud host of the prestigious, professional Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on its scenic suburban campus. Guided by the Salesian philosophy to "be who you are and be that well," student life centers on a close-knit, service-oriented community enriched by active faculty mentorship and NCAA Division III athletics.

Wikipedia:DeSales University (DSU) is a private Catholic university in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, United States. The university offers traditional, online, and hybrid courses and programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Named for St. Francis de Sales, the university was founded in 1964 as Allentown College of Saint Francis de Sales by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.

Location

Center Valley, PA, 18034-9568 · Suburb campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

ABE · Lehigh Valley

9 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

YoursEveryone

Tuition & fees$46,800

Housing & food (on campus)$13,800

Books & supplies$1,485

Cost of attendance$62,745

Average net price$31,643

Same price for all students

Tuition & fees$46,800

Housing & food (on campus)$13,800

Books & supplies$1,485

Cost of attendance$62,745

Average net price$31,643

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income · 2023-24

$0–30k

$24,007

$30–48k

$25,400

$48–75k

$26,096

$75–110k

$29,982

$110k+

$34,878

Your family's actual price → DeSales University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2024-25

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

Average award$29,211

First-years who got one103

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

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

72%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

64%

Back for yr 2

83%

Transferred

19%

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

68% graduated · 24% transferred · 7% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$52,721

10 yrs after entry$61,295

Debt

Median at graduation$25,788

Monthly payment$273

Middle 50% owe$7.7k–$27k

90th percentile$31,000

Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral/Professional University: 58% graduate within 6 yrs, $55,545 earned 10 yrs after entry.

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

77%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

1186

R 550–640 · M 540–620

ACT midpoint

Comp 27–28 · E 26–29 · M 25–28

SAT middle 50%: 1090–1260

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

How much essays count at DeSales University: Important (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)

Source: DeSales University's Common Data Set for 2024-25 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If DeSales 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 36%Women 64%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

12 : 1

Pell grant

24%

First-gen

30%

Family income

$65,095

Independent

30%

Age at entry

23.0

Part-time

11%

Race & ethnicity

White

68%

Hispanic

16%

Black

Asian

Two or more

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division III without football · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Cross Country
Men's · Women's
Field Hockey
Women's
Golf
Men's
Lacrosse
Men's · Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field (Outdoor)
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

$52,721

After 10 yrs

$61,295

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing110

Biology, General55

Business Administration, Management and Operations42

Psychology, General37

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other37

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft32

Criminal Justice and Corrections30

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods27

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness27

Marketing26

Accounting and Related Services25

Finance and Financial Management Services23

Film/Video and Photographic Arts18

Dance13

Homeland Security11

Health and Medical Administrative Services11

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$106M

Full-time faculty

41%

Faculty salary

$8,905/mo

Teaching spend

$11,727

per student

Federal loans

64%

Classification

Carnegie type

Doctoral/Professional University

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, selective admissions