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Image: CAFÉ CON UN PROFESOR
CAFÉ CON UN PROFESOR
Image: Authentic Pastry-Making Experience At Home Takes Valpo French Students Abroad
Authentic Pastry-Making Experience At Home Takes Valpo French Students Abroad
Image: A Beacon’s Reflection | Savannah Gostlin ’25
A Beacon’s Reflection | Savannah Gostlin ’25
Red brick building with "College of Business" sign and green trees in the foreground, highlighting its renowned business accreditation.
Three Valparaiso University Students Win Microsoft Office State Championships
Image: Valparaiso University Launches Religious Studies Major
Valparaiso University Launches Religious Studies Major
Image: Valpo Social Work Students LEAD The Way Toward A Brighter Tomorrow
Valpo Social Work Students LEAD The Way Toward A Brighter Tomorrow
Image: Valparaiso University Engineers Put Their Skills to the Test with Race Car Design and Construction
Valparaiso University Engineers Put Their Skills to the Test with Race Car Design and Construction
Image: Valparaiso University Student Combines Economics and Fire Safety in Effectiveness and Response Study
Valparaiso University Student Combines Economics and Fire Safety in Effectiveness and Response Study
Image: Simeon Ehm’s ’24 Path from Environmental Passion to Purposeful Impact
Simeon Ehm’s ’24 Path from Environmental Passion to Purposeful Impact

About

Grow. Lead. Shine.

Grow. Lead. Shine.

At Valpo, discovery is for everyone. You’ll grow your gifts, lead with heart, and radiate with joy. Grounded in a tradition of service and fueled by a community that believes in your light, you’ll find your home — and your spark — as a Beacon.

Discovery isn’t limited to the classroom — it shimmers over every part of the Valpo experience. With dozens of majors across five undergraduate colleges, flexible graduate programs, and robust experiential learning opportunities, you’ll chart a path shaped by your purpose. From research and internships to leadership, service, athletics, and the arts, every student is empowered to cast their light far and wide.

Valparaiso University is a comprehensive, independent Lutheran university, prominently located in Northwest Indiana, and driven by a welcoming community that continually strives to answer our collective call to serve the world. Valpo holds a Top 50 Best Value ranking from U.S. News and World Report and a Best Colleges honor from The Wall Street Journal, with a 97.5% graduate outcome rate. And with an alumni network of more than 61,000 strong, Beacons don’t just shine — they thrive. You’ll find opportunity everywhere — from Division I athletics to global study centers in England, Germany, and Costa Rica — all within a faith-rooted community that celebrates where you come from and beams toward wherever your calling takes you.

First Things First

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Use this AI-powered search to easily and quickly find any information that’s available on this website.

Discover your Joy at Valpo

The Valpo experience is all about discovery. Fostered by a supportive campus, our students discover their vocation, purpose, and joy through service and leadership – Beacons shining their light far and wide.

About the 2024 Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll badge: gold text shines on a dark shield background.
About: A badge reading "2025 The Wall Street Journal Best Colleges" on a dark background.
About: A badge reading "2025 U.S. News & World Report Top 50 Best Value National Universities.
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By the Numbers

Valpo at a Glance

50%

of Valpo grads go on to get a graduate degree

97.5%

Post-graduation employment rate

The career opportunities for majors are diverse.

Expert Mentorship

Faculty advisors work closely with our biology students to support their goals

Top 50

Best Value National Universities – U.S. News and World Report

19

average class size

About valpo

Plant roots. Fuel your joy. Shine with purpose.

Academic Programs and Assets
Graduate Success
Division 1 Athletics and Student Life

Our Lutheran Identity

In Lutheran theology, God is always the actor and initiator. We believe that God’s love is a free gift of grace that does not depend on our actions. Everything necessary for life and salvation has already been accomplished by God in Christ Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

explore Vaplo’s Lutheran Identity

About Valpo

Grow your gifts. Light your world.

View Accreditations

Fall 2024 Census

Student Body:

2,142 undergraduate students
456 graduate students

Teaching Faculty:

194 full-time faculty
84% highest degree in field
12:1 student-faculty ratio
19 average class size
100% of courses are taught by professors, not TAs

Academic Profile of Freshman Class:

3.69 average GPA (4.0 scale)

Tuition and Affordability:

$46,940 2024–2025 undergraduate tuition and fees
$13,618 on-campus room/meals
98% of undergraduate students receive financial assistance
$106+ million amount of assistance awarded to undergraduate students annually

Awards and Rankings
  • The Wall Street Journal has named Valpo as one of the 2024 Wall Street Journal Best Colleges. Other reports from recent years also recognize Valpo for overall resources, engagement, environment, and outcomes.
  • The 2024 U.S. News and World Report National Universities list names Valpo one of the best universities in the nation.
  • Valpo has secured a top 50 spot in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report Best Value National Universities rankings, offering students the highest academic quality at the lowest possible cost.
  • Valpo’s acclaimed business program earned a spot on the list of 2024 U.S. News and World Report Best Business Programs. The College of Business is also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), placing it in the top 5% of business schools worldwide.
  • Valpo is listed in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report Best Computer Science Programs rankings. All undergraduate computer science programs are rated on overall quality by top academics and officials, as well as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation.
  • Valpo’s undergraduate engineering program is seated at number 14 in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report Undergraduate Engineering Programs without a doctorate, evaluated by peer assessment surveys, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation, and offerings of both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
  • Rated by top academics and officials on overall quality, Valpo’s undergraduate bachelor of science in nursing program is seen as one of the best in the nation according to the 2024 U.S. News and World Report Best Nursing (BSN) Programs list.
  • Valpo is known for fostering the growth of economically disadvantaged students and encouraging the graduation rate of first-generation students, which earned the University a spot on the 2024 U.S. News and World Report Top Performers on Social Mobility rankings.
  • Valpo is listed on the 2023 Washington Monthly Best Bang for the Buck Universities: Midwest rankings, which identifies qualifying institutions based on how well they help students attain quality degrees at affordable rates.
  • Valpo is listed on the 2023 Forbes America’s Top Colleges list, ranked based on data focused on overall student success, impressive outcomes for low-income students, return on investment, high graduate salaries, and alumni influence.
  • Washington Monthly listed Valpo as a 2023 Best National Universities based on the number of Pell graduates and their performance, social mobility rank, service rank, and more.
  • Valpo is credited for being one of the best schools for veterans in the 2023 Military Times Best for Vets Colleges list. Student-veterans of all statuses are able to find support, valuable resources, and connections on campus and in our community, with Valpo’s Veteran Student Services offering military and veteran admission, advising, registration, financial aid, counseling, and more.
  • Valpo is recognized for supporting our transfer students on the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll. With over 100 new transfer students just this academic year, our dedication to transfer students continues to grow.
  • Valpo is listed as one of the 2024 Best Colleges in Indiana by Niche.com, ranked based on academic quality, overall value, diversity, and athletics, among others.

Approvals
  • American Music Therapy Association
  • The American Chemical Society
  • Indiana Department of Education-Office of Educator Licensing and Development
  • Indiana State Board of Nursing
  • Valparaiso University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.
NC-SARA shield logo with colored lines and text: "SARA Participating Institution.

Faith and Spiritual Life

Called to Lead and Serve

Valpo has a calling to help you understand who you are so that you can lead a meaningful life and impact the world. We seek to lead and serve in the spirit of Jesus who brought healing and reconciliation to the world.
A Diverse and Spirited Community

Valpo is not a bubble. It is a spirited community of many different beliefs, identities, backgrounds, races, and faiths. We have been called together for the sake of the world.
Calling and Spiritual Life

Grow in your sense of calling through worship, internships, small groups, pastoral support, and intellectual engagement.

You Belong Here.

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