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Center Valley , PA
DeSales University is a private Catholic university located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. Established in 1965, the university is named after Saint Francis de Sales, a 16th-century bishop and philosopher known for his teachings on divine love and spirituality. DeSales University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs through its four colleges - the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Healthcare Professions, the College of Business, and the College of Adult and Graduate Studies.
As a Catholic university, DeSales is deeply committed to providing a holistic education centered on academic excellence, ethical leadership, and a strong sense of community. The university's academic programs feature a strong foundation in the liberal arts, with a focus on critical thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving skills. Students at DeSales have the opportunity to pursue a variety of majors, including business, healthcare, education, psychology, performing arts, and more.
DeSales University offers a vibrant campus life with numerous opportunities for student engagement and personal development. The university provides various clubs, organizations, and athletic teams for students to partake in, fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie. The campus is also home to state-of-the-art facilities such as the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, a fully-equipped science center, a modern fitness center, and a beautiful library. Additionally, DeSales is located in close proximity to the city of Allentown, offering students easy access to cultural events, internships, and career opportunities.
Located in Center Valley, PA, DeSales University is a private comprehensive higher education institution. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 77%. The freshman retention rate at DeSales University is 83.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 72%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is August 1. Discover more about what you can expect if you get into DeSales University.
Quick Facts
2,172
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$46,500
Tuition
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
72%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to discover as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the university in order to improve your chances of being accepted. Discover some vital facts about admission policy and requirements at DeSales University.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 3,066 in 2025. DeSales University has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores for the candidates who choose to submit them.
Test Scores
25% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 1% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 3.1% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 43.1% between 1,200 and 1,399, 44.6% between 1,000 and 1,199, 8.5% between 800 and 999, and 0.8% between 600 and 799. The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.41. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into DeSales University.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 594 for the enrolled first-year students, while the average SAT Math score was 575.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by August 1.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. When you make your list of possible schools to attend, you should consider the freshman retention rate, among other things.
The freshman retention rate for DeSales University was 83.4% in 2025, demonstrating the exceptional quality of the educational experience at this institution.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It reflects the proportion of students who obtain their degrees within the expected timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 72%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the right fit for you is not an easy task. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school had an enrollment of 2,986 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 26% for that year. 70 students were accepted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 865 male and 1,529 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at DeSales University.
This school had 115 Asian students and 121 Afro-American students in 2025. 345 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 52 identified with more than one race. The school also had 1 student who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 3 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 46 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into consideration when applying to any college or university is the financial component. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for DeSales University.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at DeSales University? Here is what you need to know.
Tuition fees per academic year for full-time domestic students were $46,500 in 2025. As this is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were obliged to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,800.
Books and Supplies
The approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into account as another significant financial factor. Most students have to spend about $1,161 for books and supplies during their time at DeSales University.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
At DeSales University, the 2025 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $14,200. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school stood at $6,600, according to the data from 2025. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $6,683.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 46,500 |
| Room and Board | $ 14,200 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,161 |
| Total Expense | $ 61,861 |
Financial Aid
Financial support for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at DeSales University, here are some recent data you should consider.
According to the most recent data, 393 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $36,520 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
There were 1,317 students who received need-based financial aid of any kind. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was estimated to be 1,347. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution reached $4,526,171, and state $2,976,329. The students of DeSales University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $28,709,337, and external in the amount of $269,940.
$26,025
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
1,199 students, including freshmen, got institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this school in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 371 full-time freshman. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $16,975,092. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $184,298 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
Majors
Faculty
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
In 2025, this ratio at DeSales University was 12:1. That means that there were 12 times more students than teachers at this school. According to the most recent information, there are 337 faculty members at this school. This number included 139 male and 198 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at DeSales University.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at DeSales University: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about students' life at DeSales University.
Its campus is 550 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership usually consists exclusively of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 60 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Best Buddies, followed by Student Nurses Association and Special Olympics Committee. Other popular organizations at DeSales University are Colleges Against Cancer and Campus Activities Board.
For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. You have a passion for media and communication? DeSales University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At DeSales University, there are many amenities required for a comfortable and safe life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a 24-hour security patrol. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of DeSales University.
All in all, campus life at DeSales University is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at DeSales University.
Career Counselling
At DeSales University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career.
FAQ
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DeSales University is located in Center Valley, PA.
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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for DeSales University is 46,500 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for DeSales University is 77%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for DeSales University is 83.4%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.