Capella University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)

Last updated: June 29, 2026 Source: College Scorecard

Capella University is a private for-profit university in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with about 18,364 students. Capella University awards degrees and certificates tracked in federal College Scorecard and IPEDS reporting. Published tuition for full-time study is about $14,400 per year before aid; net price varies by family income. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $42,189 among students who received federal aid.

Key Facts

  • 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $14,400
  • 2024 Average Net Price: $17,956 After Financial Aid
  • 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
  • 2024 Enrolled Students: 18,364 32.5% Full-Time
  • 2024 Graduation Rate: 20.00%
  • Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Professional Universities
  • First-Generation Students: 49.7%
  • Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.8% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Net price trend: Average net price increase of 6.8% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Full-Time Faculty: 12.3%
  • Undergraduate Enrollment: 40,696
  • Room & Board: $7,350 annual estimate

Capella University: what the data shows

Common questions about Capella University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.

Where is Capella University?

Capella University is located in Minneapolis, MN (ZIP 55402-3389).

NCES locale classification: City.

Is Capella University public or private?

Capella University is a Private For-profit institution.

How much does Capella University cost?

Published tuition: $14,400.

Average net price after aid: $17,956.

Family income bandAvg. net price
Family income $0–$30,000$17,485
$30,001–$48,000$17,324
$48,001–$75,000$17,490
$75,001–$110,000$21,292
$110,001+$22,820

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $57,600.

How big is Capella University?

Total enrollment: 18,364 students.

Undergraduate enrollment: 40,696 students.

Graduate enrollment: 29,395 students.

About 32% enroll full-time in our extract.

What is the graduation rate at Capella University?

150%-time completion rate: 20.00%.

First-year retention: 41.7%.

What do graduates of Capella University earn?

Median earnings: $48,500 six years after entry; $42,189 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).

How much debt do students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers: $14,968.

38.53% of students receive Pell grants.

What is Capella University known for?

Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:

See ROI & Programs for more.

Is Capella University a good school?

We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 20.00%; median earnings $42,189 at 10 years; net price $17,956. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.

Tuition & Cost

Tuition Costs

$14,400
2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Capella University was $14,400.

Tuition comparison with similar institutions.

Average Net Price

$17,956
2024 Value

In 2024 Capella University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,956.

Average net price comparison with similar institutions.

Total Cost of Attendance

$71,824 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost

$17,956 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)

$57,600 4-Year Tuition

$7,350 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)

$425 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)

$22,175 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)

$88,700 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)

4-year total cost breakdown for Capella University.

Financial Aid by Income Level

38.53% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

47.09% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Capella University was 0.00%.

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 Capella University 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$12,348$12,348—
2014$12,816$12,816$14,557
2015$13,176$13,176$14,771
2016$13,998$13,998$16,538
2017$14,250$14,250$15,667
2018$14,579$14,579$7,290
2019$14,540$14,540$17,619
2020$14,148$14,148$16,545
2021$14,148$14,148$17,840
2022$14,328$14,328$17,147
2023$14,436$14,436$18,305

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.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.

Acceptance rate compared to national average.

Test Scores

Test score data is not available for this institution.

Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.

Academic Requirements

GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.

Estimated GPA and test score ranges.

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Capella University reported total enrollment of about 18,364 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 15% male and 85% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (44.4%), Black or African American (27.8%), and Hispanic or Latino (14.7%). About 38.53% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 49.7% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

32.5% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Capella University in 2024 is 18,364 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 40,696 students. Graduate enrollment is about 29,395 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

41.7%
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.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 44.4%.

Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).

College Scorecard student demographics.

Graduates & Outcomes

Time to Complete

20.00% 100% Completion Time

20.00% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 20.00% of students graduating from Capella University completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 11% male / 89% female
  • Applied Behavior Analysis: 11% male / 89% female
  • Psychology, General: 15% male / 85% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

ROI & Programs

Financial value and program information for Capella University.

Return on Investment

$14,968 Median Student Debt

$42,189 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)

35.48% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio

487.39% Return on Investment

3.5 years Estimated Payback Period

Financial value analysis for Capella University.

Top Programs by Completions

10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 75 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

1. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 7,779 completions

2. Applied Behavior Analysis: 1,277 completions

3. Psychology, General: 1,048 completions

4. Business Administration and Management, General: 997 completions

5. Health/Health Care Administration/Management: 985 completions

6. Nursing Administration: 781 completions

7. Nursing Education: 755 completions

8. Mental Health Counseling/Counselor: 663 completions

9. Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General: 489 completions

Most popular programs at Capella University.

Employment Outcomes

Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.

Earnings outcomes for Capella University graduates.

Operations

Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Capella University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 12.3%
  • Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $7,627
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $1,815

Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.

Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.

About

Capella University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, MN, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Applied Behavior Analysis, Psychology, General. Enrollment is approximately 18,364 students. Student body composition includes White (44.4%), Black or African American (27.8%), Hispanic or Latino (14.7%). The 150%-time completion rate is 20.00%. Approximately 38.53% of students receive Pell Grants. About 49.7% of students are first-generation college students.

Institution Type

Private For-profit

Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Professional Universities

Location

Minneapolis, MN 55402-3389

Region: Plains

Insights and Analysis

Graduation Rate Considerations: The 20.00% graduation rate at Capella University falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.

Diverse Program Offerings: With over 75 distinct degree programs, Capella University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Capella University located?

Capella University is located in Minneapolis, MN.

How much does Capella University cost?

Reported tuition is $14,400 and average net price is $17,956 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $7,350 annually.

What is the student body demographics at Capella University?

Capella University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 40,696 students, White (44.4%), Black or African American (27.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Capella University?

About 49.7% of students at Capella University are first-generation college students.

What do graduates of Capella University earn?

Median earnings are $48,500 six years after entry and $42,189 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Capella University?

The 150%-time completion rate is 20.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Capella University students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $14,968.

Is Capella University public or private?

Capella University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, MN.

Is Capella University an HBCU?

No. Capella University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.

Is Capella University a tribal college?

No. Capella University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.

Is Capella University a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?

Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Capella University does not meet that proxy (reported share 14.7%).

Is Capella University religiously affiliated?

No religious affiliation is reported for Capella University in IPEDS institutional characteristics.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • Minneapolis, Minnesota city profile
  • Plains regional profile
  • All state profiles
  • Regional profiles
  • National benchmarks
  • School directory
  • All schools in Minnesota

    • 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.