Des Moines, IA · Private · 2,543 undergraduates · urban
Drake University
Moderately selective
Drake uses its Des Moines location to connect a liberal-arts foundation with professional programs and accessible internships.
Institutional profile
Well established Strong in career outcomes, and solid in academic standing.- Admission
- 64.1% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 78.1%
7,741 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$71,901 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Drake University apart
Academic design
The university spans arts and sciences, business, journalism, education, pharmacy and health sciences, and law alongside the Drake liberal-arts curriculum.
Campus pattern
A compact residential campus sits inside Iowa's capital, giving students direct access to government, nonprofits, media, finance and health organizations.
Career & value signal
Drake's learn-by-doing model uses Des Moines internships, community projects and professional schools to turn classroom work into practical experience.
Can I get in?
64.1% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
7,741About 64 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 8% submitted an SAT, and 31% submitted an ACT. Treat the SAT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Drake University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Drake University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
The university spans arts and sciences, business, journalism, education, pharmacy and health sciences, and law alongside the Drake liberal-arts curriculum.
Make institutional fit specific
Drake uses its Des Moines location to connect a liberal-arts foundation with professional programs and accessible internships.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Drake University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Admits separately
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Admits separately
Marketing
Admits separately
Data Analytics
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
Drake University beyond the classroom
A compact residential campus sits inside Iowa's capital, giving students direct access to government, nonprofits, media, finance and health organizations.
A defining academic feature
The university spans arts and sciences, business, journalism, education, pharmacy and health sciences, and law alongside the Drake liberal-arts curriculum.
What shapes an ordinary week
A compact residential campus sits inside Iowa's capital, giving students direct access to government, nonprofits, media, finance and health organizations.
Where the degree can lead
Drake's learn-by-doing model uses Des Moines internships, community projects and professional schools to turn classroom work into practical experience.