Principia College
Principia College is a private university in Elsah, Illinois, enrolling about 339 students. Admission is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of about 44.40% in federal reporting data. The published completion rate is about 74.26% for the cohort window reported to the Education Department.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $34,680
- 2024 Average Net Price: $N/A After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 44.40% Selective
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 339 99.1% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 74.26%
- Average SAT Score: 1096
Principia College: what the data shows
Common questions about Principia College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Principia College?
Principia College is located in Elsah, IL (ZIP 62028-9799).
Is Principia College public or private?
Principia College is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Principia College cost?
Published tuition: $34,680.
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $138,720.
How hard is it to get into Principia College?
Admission rate: 44.40%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1096 and midpoint ACT 25.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Principia College?
Total enrollment: 339 students.
About 99% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Principia College?
150%-time completion rate: 74.26%.
First-year retention: 83.1%.
How much debt do students have?
0.00% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Principia College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (71 completions)
- CIP 090102 (7 completions)
- Agricultural Business and Management (7 completions)
- CIP 520201 (6 completions)
- Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education (5 completions)
- CIP 261305 (5 completions)
- Economics (5 completions)
- CIP 451301 (3 completions)
- CIP 500501 (3 completions)
- Fine & Studio Arts (3 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Principia College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 44.40%; completion rate 74.26%. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$34,680
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Principia College was $34,680.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$N/A
2024 Value
In 2024 Principia College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $N/A.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$138,720 4-Year Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Principia College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
0.00% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
0.00% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
Not reported
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Principia College was not reported in the College Scorecard extract for this institution.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Principia College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $25,980 | $25,980 | — |
| 2014 | $26,850 | $26,850 | — |
| 2015 | $27,440 | $27,440 | — |
| 2016 | $27,980 | $27,980 | — |
| 2017 | $28,920 | $28,920 | — |
| 2018 | $29,470 | $29,470 | — |
| 2019 | $30,190 | $30,190 | — |
| 2020 | $30,720 | $30,720 | — |
| 2021 | $30,820 | $30,820 | — |
| 2022 | $32,130 | $32,130 | — |
| 2023 | $33,280 | $33,280 | — |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
44.40% Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1096
ACT Average: 25
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.0 - 3.4
Estimated Median GPA: 3.20
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
99.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Principia College in 2024 is 339 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
83.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
54.46% 100% Completion Time
74.26% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 54.46% of students graduating from Principia College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Principia College.
Return on Investment
ROI data is not available for this institution.
Financial value analysis for Principia College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
CIP 09.0102: 7 completions
Agricultural Business and Management: 7 completions
CIP 52.0201: 6 completions
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education: 5 completions
CIP 26.1305: 5 completions
Economics: 5 completions
CIP 45.1301: 3 completions
CIP 50.0501: 3 completions
Fine & Studio Arts: 3 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 71 completions
Most popular programs at Principia College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Principia College graduates.
About
Principia College is a private non-profit institution located in Elsah, IL, offering 28 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 339 students. It is selective, with an admission rate of 44.40%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1096. The institution maintains a 74.26% graduation rate.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Location
Elsah, IL 62028-9799
Region: Great Lakes
Insights and Analysis
Principia College provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
FAQ
How much does Principia College cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $34,680 and average net price is N/A in the latest College Scorecard data.
How hard is it to get into Principia College?
The admission rate is 44.4% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data.
What test scores do students need for Principia College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Principia College reports midpoint SAT about 1096 and midpoint ACT about 25.
What is the graduation rate at Principia College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 74.3% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How big is Principia College?
Total enrollment is about 339 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Principia College public or private?
Principia College is a private nonprofit institution located in Elsah, IL.
Is Principia College an HBCU?
No. Principia College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Principia College a tribal college?
No. Principia College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Principia College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Principia College does not meet that proxy (reported share 5.0%).
Is Principia College religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Principia College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.