Drexel University

Drexel University has steadily improved its standing in the US News rankings, climbing from 94 in 2018 to 80 in 2027. Gaining admission is relatively accessible compared to similar institutions. In 2025, Drexel admitted 79.4% of undergraduate applicants, an acceptance rate higher than 90% of its 30 peer private research universities. However, the university experiences significant difficulty converting admitted applicants into enrolled students. Its yield rate in 2025 was just 8.1%, which was lower than all peer schools in that comparison group, where the peer median yield stood at 17.4%. This low yield indicates that while applicants have a high likelihood of receiving an acceptance offer, the university rarely serves as the final enrollment destination for those admitted. Prospective students can approach admission with confidence, knowing that admission thresholds remain broad and acceptance offers are extended widely.

Drexel University follows a test-optional admission policy, where standardized test scores are considered if submitted. For enrolled students in 2025, the university's median SAT score was 1340, which is higher than 32% of peer private research universities. Most incoming freshmen now apply without standardized test results, with about a third submitting SAT scores in 2025. High school coursework remains a critical element of evaluation, with more than half of entering students in 2022–2023 earning high school GPAs of 3.75 or higher. In unofficial international applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, admitted students had a median unweighted GPA of 3.67 and a median SAT score of 1250. These academic markers show that while testing is not mandatory, presenting a solid academic record is essential for candidates seeking admission to Drexel.

Undergraduate degrees at Drexel University are moderately distributed, with the top three bachelor's programs accounting for 22% of all undergraduate degrees in 2025. Registered Nursing is the largest undergraduate program, awarding 333 bachelor's degrees that year, followed by Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering. According to 2023 earnings data, Registered Nursing graduates earned a median of $95,930 one year after graduation, while Computer Engineering graduates earned $93,353. Drexel's highest rankings from US News appear at the graduate level rather than among its largest undergraduate fields. In the 2026 rankings, its medical school ranked 3rd in both primary care and research, while trial advocacy in the law school placed 19th, and library and information studies ranked 13th in 2025. International enrollment varies substantially by discipline, remaining minimal in nursing while comprising a significant share of technical programs. For applicants, Drexel provides strong compensation outcomes in health and technical majors alongside nationally recognized professional graduate faculties.

Drexel University enrolled a total of 21,153 students in 2025, comprising undergraduate, transfer, and graduate populations. Asian students represent a substantial community across the university, particularly at the undergraduate level. Among the first-year undergraduate class, Asian students accounted for 25.9% of students, forming the second-largest demographic group after White students. International students also maintain an active presence on campus, representing 10.3% of the incoming undergraduate class. At the graduate level, international representation expands further, with international students making up 15% of the graduate cohort and slightly outnumbering Asian graduate students. Across both divisions, these populations contribute to a diverse learning environment, with strong Asian representation among bachelor's candidates and significant international enrollment in advanced degree programs.

The student body at Drexel University reflects a standard undergraduate population alongside early-career graduate scholars. In 2025, undergraduates were heavily clustered in early adulthood, with 40% of undergraduate students aged 20 to 21 and nearly a third aged 18 to 19. An additional 21% of undergraduates were between 22 and 24 years old, an age profile that corresponds with upper-division studies and multi-year programs. Meanwhile, graduate students are largely in their mid-to-late twenties, led by the 25 to 29 age bracket at 39.2%. This demographic structure produces a campus environment centered primarily on young adults transitioning from structured college life into professional entry.

International student trends at Drexel University show diverging trajectories between undergraduate and advanced degree divisions. At the undergraduate level, the international share stood at 9% in 2025, having trended downward over the previous decade. Even so, this proportion remains higher than 87% of 30 peer private research universities. In contrast, the graduate division has grown more international, with international students comprising 15% of all graduate students in 2025. International degree recipients show a strong concentration in computational fields rather than healthcare tracks. Among 2025 degree recipients, international students accounted for 60.7% of master's graduates in Computer Science, alongside notable shares in data science and undergraduate computing, while remaining minimal in nursing. These patterns highlight that international students primarily gravitate toward technology and quantitative departments rather than clinical healthcare programs.

Applicants exploring Drexel University have several notable educational institutions within Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Directly bordering the campus just 0.4 kilometers away is the University of Pennsylvania, ranked 7th among National Universities in 2027. Also in the city center, Thomas Jefferson University is located 1.8 kilometers away and ranked 133rd. Situated 2.5 kilometers from Drexel is Temple University, ranked 109th among National Universities. Across the Delaware River 3.6 kilometers away sits Rutgers University-Camden, ranked 95th. These nearby institutions provide students with a dense selection of research universities across the metropolitan area.

Campus safety records at Drexel University indicate that policy violations and property crimes comprise the majority of reported events. In 2025, the university registered a crime rate of 6.7 per 1,000 students. Across the three-year span from 2023 to 2025, the vast majority of documented incidents involved disciplinary referrals rather than violent offenses. Disciplinary referrals for alcohol infractions constituted the single largest total, with 883 incidents recorded over those years, alongside 113 disciplinary referrals for drug violations. Among property offenses common to urban settings, motor vehicle theft was the most prevalent crime, totaling 123 occurrences between 2023 and 2025. Violent crimes such as robberies and assaults occurred at much lower frequencies across campus. For prospective students, these records suggest that day-to-day safety primarily involves adherence to campus behavioral regulations and routine urban awareness regarding personal property.