Denison University
Granville, Ohio · Private · 2,380 undergraduates · denison.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
20%
of 12,202 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1270 to 1420
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$100,780Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Denison University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
20% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$100,780
a year in 2027-28, from a $100,780 sticker price
What to do with your 1360
Send your score
About 59% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1220, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Test Optional Policy | Forms & Policies | Denison University · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov15Early Decision · November 15, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan15Early Decision II · January 15, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
20%
of applicants were admitted: 2,385 of 12,202 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 25% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
1,376 students were offered a spot; 31 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 27% of them sent SAT scores and 19% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1270 to 1420
Reading and Writing 640 to 720
Math 630 to 710
ACT composite 28 to 33
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160034%
- 1200 to 139958%
- 1000 to 11998%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$100,780
a year
- Tuition$76,960
- Food and housing$19,140
- Books and supplies$1,040
- Transportation and other$3,640
Denison University published $96,900 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$15,189
- $30,001 to $48,000$10,150
- $48,001 to $75,000$15,569
- $75,001 to $110,000$21,419
- Over $110,000$50,673
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$58,935
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
35%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $21,023 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 1/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 1/15
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Ohio programs for residents
Governor's Merit Scholarship
$5,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- Homeschool / dropout prevention & recovery / nonchartered nonpublic applicants (top 5% of similar applicants by ACT/SAT); Apply via ODHE portal in senior year; homeschoolers upload superintendent's response to home-education notification; Selective Service if applicable; on-time graduation; junior on track at determination
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
36 of 36
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,700Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ARTS 999 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ARTS 999 |
| Art History | 4 | 4 | AHVC 999 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOL 199 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 130 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 4 | MATH 135 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHEM 999 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | CHIN 211 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | CHIN 212 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PPA 999 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CS 999 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 | CS 999 |
| Drawing | 4 | 4 | ARTS 999 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 4 | ENGL 999 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 4 | ENGL 999 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | EESC 999 |
| European History | 4 | 4 | HIST 999 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | FREN 211 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | FREN 213 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | GERM 112 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | GERM 213 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 4 | SES 999 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | LANG 999 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | JAPN 211 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | JAPN 212 |
| Latin | 4 | 4 | LAT 112 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 097 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECON 098 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 4 | MUS 200 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHYS 098 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | PHYS 098 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHYS 999 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHYS 999 |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSYC 096 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPAN 999 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | SPAN 999 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPAN 999 |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | MATH 120 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PPA 999 |
| United States History | 4 | 4 | HIST 999 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 4 | HIST 999 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
78%
Come back for a second year
89%
Typical earnings
$73,151
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Denison University$73,039
- All colleges$60,083
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 11 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Denison University. The Denison University logo is a trademark of the college.