Denison University

Denison University has steadily climbed in the US News National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, moving from 46th in 2018 to 31st in 2027. This upward momentum aligns with an increasingly selective admissions process. For the class entering in 2025, the college admitted 17.4% of applicants, an admit rate higher than 27% of peer schools in a comparison group of 30 private liberal arts colleges with similar rankings. Admission was competitive across the applicant pool, with over twelve thousand applicants denied a spot. However, its drawing power among admitted applicants remains relatively modest. The yield rate in 2025 was 23.8%, which was higher than 33% of peer institutions. With less than a quarter of admitted students deciding to enroll, Denison must admit a substantial pool of candidates to meet its enrollment targets. For prospective applicants, this competitive landscape indicates that gaining admission has become considerably more demanding in recent years.

Denison University maintains an admissions testing policy where standardized tests are optional, but considered if submitted. For applicants evaluating their preparation, submitted testing profiles remain academically solid. In 2025, the university recorded a median SAT score of 1410, a figure higher than 38% of peer schools in a comparison group of similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges. Looking at the 2025 score ranges, composite ACT scores among enrolled students who reported testing spanned from 30 to 33. Although many students enroll without providing test records, these published score distributions establish clear academic parameters for candidates seeking to understand the credentials of admitted peers. Prospective applicants reviewing their qualifications can use these standards to evaluate how their examination performance compares against the typical cohort of students who chose to share their standardized results.

Denison University awarded 609 bachelor degrees in 2025 across a range of liberal arts disciplines. Graduating students are moderately spread out rather than concentrated in a few fields, with the three largest programs accounting for 29.7% of all degrees. The most popular bachelor majors include Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, Mass Communication and Media Studies, and Research and Experimental Psychology. Although Economics and Psychology attract large enrollments, neither ranks in the national top tier, placing 161st and 189th respectively in the 2027 US News undergraduate rankings. International students make up a significant portion of technical disciplines such as Computer Science, while remaining a smaller presence in the life sciences. Career outcomes show that business and social science graduates achieve competitive early compensation. According to 2023 earnings data, graduates in International Business led the institution with median first-year earnings of $67,060, followed by Economics graduates earning a median of $62,682. For prospective applicants, Denison provides solid liberal arts coursework paired with practical market returns in commercial and analytical fields.

Denison University educates an undergraduate population where global perspectives form a visible element of campus life. In the 2025 entering class, international students represent a sizable presence, numbering 107 scholars and accounting for 17.2% of new undergraduates. By comparison, Asian students comprise a smaller segment of the cohort, with 29 students making up 4.7% of the group. Similar distribution patterns extend through the continuing undergraduate classes, where international representation remains steady and Asian enrollment forms a modest proportion. White students constitute the largest racial group on campus, while Hispanic and Black students also represent established shares of the student community. In addition, women account for slightly more than half of the student body, and transfer students make up a small fraction of overall enrollment. For families considering Denison, these enrollment figures demonstrate an academic environment characterized by meaningful international participation alongside a more limited Asian presence.

Denison University's undergraduate student body is almost entirely composed of traditional college-age individuals. In 2025, 48.9% of the 2,403 undergraduates were aged 18 to 19, totaling 1,174 students, while another 1,021 students, or 42.5%, were aged 20 to 21. Students aged 22 to 24 accounted for just 6.5% of the population with 157 individuals. Because Denison operates exclusively as an undergraduate institution with zero graduate students, academic and extracurricular campus life is focused entirely on young adults progressing directly through a standard four-year residential experience.

International enrollment at Denison University has expanded considerably over the past decade. Between 2016 and 2025, the number of international undergraduates increased from 171 to 421, raising their representation on campus to 17.6%. This international share is higher than 90% of peer schools in a comparison group of 30 private liberal arts colleges with similar rankings. Because Denison offers only undergraduate education, all international degree recipients finish at the bachelor level. In 2025, international students earned about one in six undergraduate degrees awarded. Overseas students concentrate heavily in analytical and technical subjects. In Computer Science, international students accounted for 54.3% of graduates. They also represented over a quarter of graduates in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, demonstrating a clear focus on quantitative majors.

Families exploring college options in Ohio will find several strong institutions within driving distance of Denison University. Located just 21.9 kilometers away, Kenyon College is a fellow liberal arts institution ranked 41st in the 2027 rankings. For students considering a large comprehensive public university, Ohio State University-Main Campus sits 26.1 kilometers from Denison and holds the 44th position among national universities. Further north at a distance of 59.7 kilometers, The College of Wooster offers another liberal arts option and is ranked 91st. In addition, Oberlin College, located 85.8 kilometers away, is ranked 59th among liberal arts colleges. These nearby schools give prospective applicants a useful mix of small liberal arts environments and large research institutions to compare across the state.

Campus safety data at Denison University indicates that disciplinary matters make up the vast majority of recorded incidents. In 2025, the college recorded a crime rate per 1,000 students of 21.6. Between 2023 and 2025, behavioral policy enforcement accounted for the largest category counts on campus, with 151 disciplinary referrals for drug violations and 144 disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations. More serious criminal offenses occurred with much lower frequency across those same three years, including reported incidents of stalking, rape, and theft. The campus environment reflects an emphasis on residential oversight and student conduct enforcement regarding substance regulations, rather than widespread property crime or violent offenses. For families assessing campus safety, these patterns demonstrate that safety personnel and university officials primarily manage student behavior and substance compliance within the campus grounds.