Delaware Valley University

Private · Moderately Selective · PA

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationPA · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads1,628

Student:faculty14:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate45%

6-yr grad rate55.9%

Drop-out rate30.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$45k

Out-of-state tuition$45k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity29.5%

Gender diversity62.2%

International0.3%

Identity—

Overview

Delaware Valley University, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia in Bucks County, began as an agricultural school and still carries that identity even as it has broadened into a small comprehensive university. Its working farms and hands-on facilities are not decorative — they are where a meaningful share of coursework actually happens, and the school markets itself squarely around applied, career-ready learning.

Academics

Animal science, equine studies, and conservation and wildlife programs are the university's signature strengths, drawing students who want direct animal and land-management experience rather than classroom-only biology. Every student completes an experiential-learning requirement, typically an internship, research project, or practicum, before graduating — a structural feature of the curriculum rather than an optional add-on. Criminal justice and business round out the program list.

Campus & student life

The campus includes working farms, greenhouses, and land laboratories alongside standard academic buildings, giving it a rural, hands-on feel distinct from most suburban Philadelphia-area colleges. Athletics compete at the Division III level, and the small overall size keeps the community tight-knit.

Worth knowing

The animal science and equine programs give Delaware Valley a niche identity most small liberal arts colleges cannot match — students interested in veterinary-track work, farm management, or land conservation find facilities here built specifically for that work rather than adapted from a general biology department.

delval.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate93.2%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1090–1303 · ACT 23–30

Test policyoptional

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying