Elon University

Private · Moderately Selective · NC

Photo: MPD01605 from Sterling, Virginia, United States (CC BY-SA 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNC · South

SettingSuburban

Undergrads6,452

Student:faculty11:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate79.9%

6-yr grad rate84%

Drop-out rate10.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$47k

Out-of-state tuition$47k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity24.4%

Gender diversity59.3%

International1.8%

Identity—

Overview

Elon is a private university in central North Carolina built around a distinctive promise: engaged, experiential learning as a near-universal expectation rather than an option. It has grown from a small teachers' college into one of the most closely watched mid-size private universities in the country, known for a polished, fountain-and-brick-walkway campus as much as for what students do while they are there. It draws a largely out-of-state, activity-minded student body.

Academics

The School of Communications is Elon's signature strength, with strong ties to broadcast and digital media industries, alongside a well-regarded business school and education programs tracing back to the university's founding mission. Elon requires students to complete at least two "Elon Experiences" — internships, study abroad, undergraduate research, leadership, or service — before graduation, and advising is structured around planning that path early. Class sizes stay small, and faculty are hired with an explicit expectation of undergraduate teaching and mentorship.

Campus & student life

The campus is landscaped almost like a botanical garden, with brick pathways, fountains, and a central plaza that has become an emblem for the school. Nearly all students live on campus for at least their first several years, and Greek life, club sports, and a dense calendar of campus programming shape day-to-day life more than the small surrounding town does. Athletics compete in the Colonial Athletic Association, drawing steady but not football-first crowds; school spirit centers more on campus traditions than big-time sports.

Getting in

Elon reviews applications holistically and has become steadily more selective as its national profile has grown, with demonstrated interest and fit for its engaged-learning model carrying real weight. Essays and genuine enthusiasm for the specific Elon experience — not just prestige — are part of what admissions readers look for, and the school's early-decision option yields a meaningful share of the class.

After graduation

Communications, business, and education graduates place well with regional and national employers, and Elon's career center and alumni network are frequently cited as unusually engaged for a school of its size. Alumni tend to stay connected and active in recruiting current students for internships, particularly in media, marketing, and finance hubs along the East Coast.

Worth knowing

The "Elon Experience" requirement is not a marketing phrase — it is a structured, tracked graduation expectation, and students who ignore it early can find themselves scrambling senior year. The university's rapid rise in national visibility over the past two decades means its selectivity has shifted faster than some families' assumptions about it.

elon.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate66.3%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1130–1280 · ACT 23–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Early decisionNov 1

Regular decisionJan 10

Applying