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San Rafael , CA
Dominican University of California is a small, private university located in San Rafael, California. Established in 1890, it has a rich history of providing high-quality education rooted in its Dominican Catholic heritage. With a student body of approximately 2,000, Dominican University offers a diverse and inclusive community where students can thrive academically, socially, and personally.
The university offers over 60 undergraduate programs, including majors in business, education, health sciences, liberal arts, and sciences. Its programs are designed to provide students with a well-rounded education that combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, preparing them for successful careers and meaningful contributions to their communities. Dominican University is known for its strong commitment to individual attention, with small class sizes allowing for personalized instruction and mentorship from dedicated faculty members.
Beyond academics, Dominican University provides a vibrant campus life with a variety of clubs, organizations, and athletic teams. Students can engage in community service, participate in cultural events, and join student-led initiatives to make a positive impact on campus and beyond. The university also offers various support services, including career counseling, academic advising, and a Center for Academic Excellence, ensuring that students have the resources they need to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Overall, Dominican University of California offers a nurturing and intellectually stimulating environment that fosters personal growth and development in its students.
Dominican University of California is a private university located in San Rafael, CA. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 83%. The freshman retention rate at Dominican University of California is 86.13% and the six-year graduation rate is 77%.
Find out more about what you can expect if you get into Dominican University of California.
Quick Facts
1,127
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$52,855
Tuition
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
77%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
Discovering as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission increases your chances of getting admitted. Here are the most essential data you should know about admission policy and requirements at Dominican University of California.
According to the newest information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,498 in 2025.
Test Scores
Out of the number of applicants who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 2% and ACT scores 1%. 100% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 34, 33 between 24-29 and 33 in the range between 18-23.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.65. That means you'll most likely need an above-average GPA to get accepted.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is the percentage of college or university first-year students who return for their sophomore year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Dominican University of California was 86.13%, indicative of the exceptional educational experience and supportive environment at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 77%, 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 better understand the culture and life of the school by getting to know more about the student body.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Dominican University of California in 2025 was 1,829.
That year, the school had 15.38% of out-of-state students. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 1,127, 30 of which were foreign students. The school admitted a total of 69 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 449 male and 1,123 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. An inclusive student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Dominican University of California.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 335, while the number of Black American students was 65. 361 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 13 identified with more than one race. The school also had 10 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 4 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 66 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to consider before applying to any college or university. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for Dominican University of California is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
Tuition in 2025 was $52,855 for full-time domestic students. As Dominican University of California is a private institution, there is no difference in tuition for out-of-state or international students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students summed up to $845 in 2025.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to consider the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. Most students have to spend about $1,152 for books and supplies during their time at Dominican University of California.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What do schools typically charge for room and board?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Dominican University of California was $16,401 in 2025. If you only needed a dormitory room, you had to pay $9,142 for the 2025 academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 52,855 |
| Room and Board | $ 16,401 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,152 |
| Total Expense | $ 70,408 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial support: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid available at Dominican University of California.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 202 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $40,181 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
There were 792 students who got need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Dominican University of California is available to international students. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Dominican University of California isn't available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 801. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution stood at $2,125,983, and state $2,824,894. The students of Dominican University of California received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $21,569,003, and external in the amount of $425,210.
$22,660
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 90 students overall (including freshmen) at Dominican University of California in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 26 full-time freshman. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $5,976,713. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $160,111 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
9:1
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 Dominican University of California was 9:1. That means that there were 9 times more students than teachers at this school. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 319. Out of that number, there were 104 male and 227 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Dominican University of California.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some info about students' life at Dominican University of California.
Student Organizations
Joining multiple student organizations can provide you a more interesting and dynamic experience.
This school has 32 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The percentage of male students who are members of organizations is 30 and female students 70. The student organization that attracts the greatest number of students is Carnaval, followed by WorldFest and Penguin Invitational. Other popular student organizations at this school are Mahogany Night and Business Bash.
For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. For students looking to explore media and communication, Dominican University of California publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Dominican University of California, there are many amenities required for a pleasant and safe life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of Dominican University of California.
All in all, campus life at Dominican University of California 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 Dominican University of California.
Career Counselling
At Dominican University of California, 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. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Dominican University of California is located in San Rafael, CA.
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Dominican University of California doesn't offer need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 52,855 USD per academic year for Dominican University of California.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Dominican University of California is 83%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Dominican University of California is 86.13%.
Contact Information
Dominican University of California
50 Acacia Avenue
San Rafael , CA
94901
415 457-4440
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.