University of Tulsa

Gaining admission to the University of Tulsa is moderately selective, with the institution admitting a smaller share of candidates than many similar private colleges. In the 2027 U.S. News National University Rankings, the school placed 148th, continuing a steady recovery after reaching lower positions in recent cycles. For the 2025 entering class, the overall acceptance rate was 61.5%, which was higher than 20% of peer schools in a comparison group of private comprehensive universities with similar rank. The university enrolled 23.3% of its admitted applicants that year, an enrollment yield rate higher than 83% of peer schools in that same group. While less than a quarter of admitted students choose to matriculate, the school's ability to enroll admitted applicants remains well above the peer median. For applicants, these trends show that gaining acceptance requires competitive academic standing, and the university commands stronger drawing power than most similarly ranked private peers.

Undergraduate applicants to the University of Tulsa encounter competitive academic expectations, with enrolled cohorts reporting test results well above national benchmarks. For the 2025 enrolled class, the middle 50% of students scored between 25 and 34 on the ACT composite. The institutional median SAT score was 1410, which was higher than all peer schools in a comparison group of private comprehensive universities with similar rank. In addition to official institutional figures, unofficial applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway offer a practical reference for international candidates, indicating a median unweighted high school GPA of 3.84 among admitted applicants. These figures make clear that successful candidates typically need strong secondary school transcripts alongside standardized test scores that place in the upper performance percentiles. Prospective students should focus on rigorous secondary coursework and solid testing preparation to present a compelling application.

Academic degrees at the University of Tulsa are moderately distributed across professional disciplines rather than heavily concentrated in just a few fields, with the top three bachelor programs accounting for 26.5% of all undergraduate degrees awarded in 2025. The most popular undergraduate majors by graduate volume include Exercise Science and Kinesiology, Registered Nursing, and Behavioral Sciences. However, these largest programs do not align with the institution's highest-ranked program. The university's signature academic strength is Petroleum Engineering, which placed 3rd nationally at the undergraduate level in 2027 and 4th at the graduate level in 2026 according to U.S. News. International participation is particularly prominent in technical graduate specialties, making up 76.9% of master graduates in Petroleum Engineering. These specialized engineering and business fields deliver strong early financial returns; according to 2023 earnings data, bachelor graduates in Management Information Systems and Services earned a median salary of $81,079 one year after graduation. For prospective applicants, the university combines broad healthcare and science programs with nationally elite engineering training.

The student body at the University of Tulsa consists predominantly of undergraduates, alongside a distinct graduate population. Across the campus, White students form the largest racial group, while other domestic groups include students identifying as Pacific Islander or other backgrounds, Hispanic, Asian, and Black students. In the 2025 incoming freshman cohort, Asian students numbered 55, making up 7.5% of the class. International students in the freshman class totaled 28, representing 3.8% of entering first-year students. While undergraduate classrooms remain largely domestic, the graduate student body features a much higher concentration of global scholars, where international students constitute nearly a quarter of all degree seekers. For prospective applicants, these demographics highlight a university community that centers largely on domestic undergraduate education while providing notable international representation within its advanced graduate programs.

The University of Tulsa has an undergraduate student body that is predominantly traditional in age. In 2025, undergraduates aged 18 to 19 accounted for 41.3% of the degree-seeking population, while those aged 20 to 21 represented 36.4%. Because more than three-quarters of undergraduates are under age 22, campus life and student activities primarily revolve around individuals who entered college directly after high school. In contrast, graduate programs serve early-career adults, with 33.7% of graduate students aged 22 to 24 and 30.4% aged 25 to 29. This separation in age profiles means that undergraduate spaces are oriented toward young adult life, whereas graduate students pursue degree milestones in a peer group characterized by early professional experience.

International enrollment patterns at the University of Tulsa have diverged sharply between academic levels over the past decade. At the undergraduate level, international representation has decreased substantially, with overseas students making up 5.3% of undergraduates in 2025. In contrast, international enrollment in graduate education has expanded, reaching 24.4% of graduate students in 2025. Degree outcomes reflect this concentration in advanced technical fields: international scholars earned 27.9% of all master degrees awarded in 2025. That presence is most pronounced in Petroleum Engineering, where international students accounted for 76.9% of master graduates. For international candidates, these trends highlight that while undergraduate study is largely domestic, master-level engineering and quantitative disciplines provide robust global academic cohorts.

Applicants exploring colleges in the regional area can consider several alternative public and private institutions located within driving distance of Tulsa. Oklahoma State University-Main Campus is a large public research university located 62.7 kilometers away, ranked 191st among National Universities in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. Also tied at 191st is the University of Arkansas, situated 98.9 kilometers from campus. Another major nearby public option is the University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus, located 106.4 kilometers away and ranked 116th in the same national list. For families interested in a smaller undergraduate-focused liberal arts environment rather than a research university, Hendrix College is located 209.7 kilometers away in Arkansas and held the 100th spot among National Liberal Arts Colleges in 2027.

Campus safety data at the University of Tulsa indicates that non-violent policy enforcement and property crimes make up most reported occurrences. In 2025, the university registered a weighted crime rate of 17.2 per 1,000 students. Across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, the largest category of campus incidents involved internal disciplinary actions, including 139 disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations and 43 disciplinary referrals for drug violations. Among criminal offenses recorded over the same 2023 to 2025 timeframe, motor vehicle theft was the most prevalent, with 48 incidents logged. Violent offenses occurred with much lower frequency. For prospective students and their families, these numbers show that everyday safety concerns primarily involve vehicle security and university substance policy enforcement rather than pervasive campus violence.