Valparaiso University

Private · Moderately Selective · IN

Photo: Chris Light (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationIN · Midwest

SettingSuburban

Undergrads2,083

Student:faculty10:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate61.8%

6-yr grad rate70.4%

Drop-out rate24.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$48k

Out-of-state tuition$48k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity33.6%

Gender diversity56.8%

International4%

IdentityLutheran Church in America

Overview

Valparaiso is a private Lutheran university in northwest Indiana, about an hour from Chicago, known for pairing solid professional programs with a strong honors college and a prominent religious presence on campus.

Academics

Engineering, nursing, and meteorology are signature strengths; Valparaiso's storm-chasing and severe-weather coursework is a genuinely distinctive draw for meteorology students, and the university's honors college offers a smaller, more seminar-driven track within the larger institution.

Campus & student life

The Chapel of the Resurrection, one of the largest collegiate chapels in the country, is a physical and symbolic centerpiece of campus, reflecting the university's Lutheran identity, though that identity is broadly ecumenical rather than narrowly denominational in practice.

After graduation

Engineering and meteorology graduates find well-established regional and national placement, with the meteorology program in particular carrying real name recognition among broadcast and research meteorologists.

Worth knowing

The storm-chasing coursework is a real, hands-on part of the meteorology curriculum, not just marketing language; students in the program get direct severe-weather fieldwork experience uncommon at most universities.

valpo.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate89.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1060–1280 · ACT 23–31

Test policyoptional

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying