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Dominican University of California

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.

Located in San Rafael, CA, Dominican University of California is a private university. This institution follows 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%.

Explore this school's profile to find out all the important things about 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

You need to learn as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the university in order to maximize your chances of being accepted. Check out some relevant data 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

2% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 1% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 100% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of first-year 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 that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Dominican University of California.

Average Test Scores

Retention Rate

The percentage of first-year students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. 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.

The freshman retention rate for Dominican University of California was 86.13% in 2025, reflecting the superb quality of the educational programs at this institution.

Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. At this school, the rate of students graduating within six years is 77%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.

Student Body

It is never easy to figure out which school is the best choice for you. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.

Main Student Body

The total number of students enrolled at Dominican University of California in 2025 was 1,829.

The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 15.38% for that year. There was a total of 1,127 undergrad students, including 30 international students. 69 students enrolled as 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. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Dominican University of California.

This school had 335 Asian students and 65 Afro-American students in 2025. 361 undergraduate students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 13 as multirace. The school also had 10 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 4 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 66 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 expenses at Dominican University of California that the majority of students face.

Tuition and Fees

Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition cost for this university.

Tuition fees per academic year for full-time domestic students were $52,855 in 2025. Dominican University of California is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students reached $845 in 2025.

Books and Supplies

Another important financial factor to take into consideration is the approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university. The approximate expense of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $1,152.

Boarding

Before you apply to a college or university, you should, among other things, think about the price of a dorm room and cafeteria meals. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?

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.

Tuition $ 52,855
Room and Board $ 16,401
Book and Supplies $ 1,152
Total Expense $ 70,408

Financial Aid

Financial help for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the information about need-based and non-need-based aid you might get at Dominican University of California.

According to the most recent data, 202 freshmen were awarded financial aid. The average financial aid package awarded to students totaled $40,181.

Need-based

If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet certain eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.

792 students secured some form of need-based financial aid. 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 amounted to 801. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution added up to $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

Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements 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.

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 non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants 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. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $160,111 USD.

Faculty

9:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.

According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Dominican University of California was 9:1: that means 9 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. This school has recently reported to have 331 faculty members. This number included 104 male and 227 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Dominican University of California.

Student Population Diversity Graph

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100
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100

Campus Life

Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some details about students' life at Dominican University of California.

Student Organizations

Participating in different student organizations can make your educational experience more interesting and fulfilling.

The number of student organizations and groups with open membership at this school is 32. 30 percent of male and 70 of female students take part in in different organizations at Dominican University of California. The student organization that attracts the greatest number of students is Carnaval, followed by WorldFest and Penguin Invitational. Other popular organizations among the students at Dominican University of California are Mahogany Night and Business Bash.

For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. You have a passion for 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.

24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. There is 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 a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.

FAQ

Dominican University of California is located in San Rafael, CA.

Dominican University of California offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.

According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 52,855 USD per academic year for Dominican University of California.

This school uses standardized test scores for admission.

According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Dominican University of California is 83%.

The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Dominican University of California is 86.13%.

Contact Information

Dominican University of California

50 Acacia Avenue

San Rafael , CA

94901

145 457-4440

School Website

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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