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Lewis University

Private Nonprofit Graduate Strong 77/100

Lewis University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Romeoville, Illinois

About Lewis University

Lewis University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Romeoville, Illinois. It enrolls 4,015 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: lewisu.edu

Acceptance: 71.3%
Graduation: 34%
Net Price: $17,028
Median Earnings (10yr): $66,099
Enrollment: 4,015
Student : Faculty: 14:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Strong

77/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 67

Value 82

Affordability 58

Selectivity 48

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 71.3%, Lewis University is moderately selective.

Acceptance Rate

71.3%

Moderate

SAT Range (25th–75th)

960 – 1210

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

20 – 27

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Lewis University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 8.8 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Lewis University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $17,028 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$17,028

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

33%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

42%

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees: $39,200
Room & Board (on-campus): $12,140
Room & Board (off-campus): $10,000
Books & Supplies: $1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus): $2,190
Other Expenses (off-campus): $2,714
Total Cost of Attendance: $47,313

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$10,382
$30,001 – $48,000

$11,712
$48,001 – $75,000

$12,178
$75,001 – $110,000

$19,908
Over $110,000

$25,035

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,500

10% percentile

$10,500

25% percentile

$21,500

Median percentile

$27,000

75% percentile

$32,528

90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median

Pell recipients $19,500 ↓ $2,000

No Pell $17,014 ↓ $4,486

Dependent students $18,500 ↓ $3,000

Independent students $19,748 ↓ $1,752

Female students $19,206 ↓ $2,294

Male students $18,252 ↓ $3,248

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,000, less than completers ($21,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

34% of full-time students who enrolled at Lewis University graduate within six years, and 81% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

34%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

81%

Returning for their second year

What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Lewis University earn a median of $66,099 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$66,099

Earning > $25K

87%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$49,900

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$59,100

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$46,700

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$53,000

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$56,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $9,200, about 16% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 14.2 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Strong. 83% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Lewis University is home to 4,015 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 39% are first-generation college students.

Total Enrolled

4,015

Part-Time

15%

First-Generation

39%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 49.8% 1,999

Hispanic 27.6% 1,107

Asian 7.5% 299

Black 7.3% 294

Other 3.5% 141

International 2.8% 112

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Lewis University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Large Suburb Romeoville, Illinois

Housing

Partly residential 1,093 beds available

Adult Learners

15% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

Designation

Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

Lewis University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 81 distinct programs across 25 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

7 Programs

Computer Science

Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)
Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)
Computer Software & Media $59K ($36K–$88K)

13 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Management Sciences $86K ($62K–$115K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)

9 Programs

Health

Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Communication Disorders Sciences and $59K ($45K–$73K)

2 Programs

Transportation

Air Transportation $86K ($62K–$118K)
Air Transportation $86K ($62K–$118K)

3 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biochemistry & Biophysics $65K ($45K–$88K)
Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)

3 Programs

Public Administration

Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Public Administration $65K ($47K–$87K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Lewis University is 14:1, close to the national average.

Student : Faculty

14:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$195M

Solid financial position

Avg Faculty Salary

$90,513

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

240 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank	Faculty Count	Share	Avg Salary
Full Professors	60	25%	$110,291
Associate Professors	58	24%	$90,535
Assistant Professors	113	47%	$82,015
Instructors	9	4%	$65,216

Pros & Cons of Lewis University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Lewis University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Below-average net price
Reasonable class sizes
Above-average post-graduation earnings

CONS

Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years

Best for: Based on the data, Lewis University is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lewis University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Lewis University.

Is Lewis University hard to get into?

Admissions at Lewis University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 71.3%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.

What is the acceptance rate at Lewis University?

Lewis University has an acceptance rate of 71.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Lewis University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Lewis University scored between 960 and 1210 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

What ACT score do you need for Lewis University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Lewis University scored between 20 and 27 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Lewis University cost?

The average net price after aid at Lewis University is $17,028 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Lewis University worth it?

Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $66,099 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,028 per year. That's roughly 3.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Lewis University known for?

Lewis University is best known for its programs in Computer Science, Business Administration, Management Sciences. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Lewis University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Lewis University are $66,099, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Lewis University accredited?

Yes. Lewis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How many students attend Lewis University?

Lewis University enrolls 4,015 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Lewis University?

Lewis University graduates 34% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Lewis University a public or private college?

Lewis University is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Lewis University located?

Lewis University is located in Romeoville, Illinois.

What programs does Lewis University offer?

Lewis University offers 81 distinct programs. The most popular include Computer Science, Business Administration, Management Sciences.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Lewis University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Lewis University is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.