In order to continue its delivery of a high-quality academic and campus experience for its students while managing costs and rising inflation, the University of Delaware has announced a 4% tuition increase in its undergraduate and graduate programs for the upcoming academic year.

In the 2024-25 academic year:

• Undergraduate tuition will increase by $560 for Delawareans (to $14,600) and by $1,510 for non-Delaware residents (to $39,190).
• The graduate base tuition rate will increase to $1,069 per credit hour.
• Mandatory fees will rise for the first time in three years.
  • The Student Comprehensive Fee will increase to $624 per semester.
  • The Student Center Fee will increase by only $5 to $124 per semester.
  • The Student Wellbeing Fee will increase by only $5 to $357 per semester.

The University of Delaware continues to experience upward momentum in national ranking and recognition while also delivering exceptional academic and financial support for its students.

Increased financial assistance

The University of Delaware ranks among the country’s best value propositions, according to U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal, and The Princeton Review. In addition, UD scored 4½ stars out of a possible five in Money magazine’s 2024-2025 rating of America’s best colleges. The University is recognized by Money as a public college providing an excellent value for in-state students, as well as among the Best Colleges in the Northeast.

In its commitment to offer an accessible and affordable education, UD makes substantial investments each year to provide students with competitive financial aid packages. Total undergraduate financial aid from UD has increased 68% since fiscal year 2018. Also, Delawareans pay 33% lower tuition thanks to the state of Delaware’s annual operating appropriation and additional support from UD. 

What’s more, UD’s First State Promise aims to cover total tuition costs for Delaware-resident undergraduate students with family incomes of $75,000 or less. For the lowest-income students, the University also provides support for room, board and fees, while those above $75,000 may be eligible for partial aid. 

During the 2023-24 academic year, First State Promise benefited about 2,300 Delawareans enrolled at UD—roughly a third of UD’s 6,800 in-state students. Of those students who received First State Promise funds, about two-thirds were also eligible for federal Pell grants, further assisting those with extreme financial need.

Student success

Interest in a UD education remains at an all-time high. For the seventh consecutive year, the University received a record number of first-year undergraduate student applications. Nearly 40,000 prospective undergraduate students (an increase of 50% since fall 2016) applied to UD for roughly 4,300 spots in fall 2024.

UD also maintains:

• A 90% retention rate among first-year students who remain at UD into their second year.

• A 73% four-year graduation rate, according to the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS 2022-23 graduation rates survey — which is the sixth-best in the nation among large, primarily residential four-year public universities. 

• A 94% employment or continuing-education rate among students within six months of their graduation from UD.

National and global renown

Regarded for the high quality of its academic programs, the University of Delaware is ranked No. 76 by U.S. News & World Report among all universities and No. 36 among public universities. U.S. News placed six of UD’s undergraduate programs among the top 100 nationally in their fields, including a No. 5 ranking for chemical engineering. U.S. News placed nine of UD’s graduate programs among the top 100 nationally in their fields, including a No. 2 ranking for physical therapy. The Princeton Review placed the University’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program among the top 50 in the nation and among the best in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Additional information

For details on approved undergraduate and graduate tuition rates, room and board and student fees, visit the Student Financial Services site at www.udel.edu/rates. Undergraduate students will receive notification in the coming weeks when their official billing and financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year is made available.