About

About The Catholic University of America

catholic faith missiondoctoral research universitysmall class sizesaccessible admissions

The Catholic University of America is a private research university in Washington, DC, known for its catholic faith mission, doctoral research university, and small class sizes. With an acceptance rate of 86%, Catholic is accessible for most qualified applicants, typically enrolling around 765 students each year. Catholic is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. Catholic offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $37,142 per year; the sticker price of $72,326 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

The Catholic University of America acceptance rate and admitted student profile

accessible for most qualified applicants

86%
Overall Accept Rate

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to The Catholic University of America

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Catholic University is deeply committed to its Catholic intellectual tradition, so use your essays to show how your values, curiosity, or sense of purpose connect to a faith-informed education, even if you are not Catholic yourself.
Application Strategy
Mention specific ways you plan to use Washington, DC as a resource, whether that means internships on Capitol Hill, research partnerships with federal agencies, or involvement in the city's arts and nonprofit sectors, since CUA students have unusually direct access to these opportunities.

Get a tailored strategy for The Catholic University of America. Build your free list to unlock personalized advice on submitting test scores and discover your actual admission odds based on your student profile.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What The Catholic University of America actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$72k/yr$17.4k
30k-48k~$72k/yr$17.9k
48k-75k~$72k/yr$24.7k
75k-110k~$72k/yr$28.3k
110k+~$72k/yr$37.7k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

81%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$63k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
11:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
3,021
Undergrad Enrollment
The Catholic University of America Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch