Temple University
Source: temple.md
Temple University
Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)
- Total applicants: 45,544
- Overall acceptance rate: ~81%
- Early round: EA — no significant rate differential reported; non-binding EA available
- Class size: 5,379
- Yield: ~14%
Academics
- SAT middle 50%: 1150-1370
- ACT middle 50%: 22-28
- Avg unweighted GPA: 3.46
- Top 10% of HS class: ~25% (estimated)
- Testing policy: Test-optional (does not require or recommend SAT/ACT)
Demographics
- Women: 56%, Asian: 10%, Black: 13%, Hispanic: 9%, White: 47%, International: 5%
Financial Aid / Net Cost
| Income Bracket |
Net Price |
| $0-$30,000 |
$18,315 |
| $30,001-$48,000 |
$18,879 |
| $48,001-$75,000 |
$21,743 |
| $75,001-$110,000 |
$25,075 |
| Over $110,000 |
$27,623 |
Athletics
~500 varsity athletes (~2.3% of undergrads). NCAA Division I, American Athletic Conference (AAC). 19 varsity teams (18 NCAA D1 + 1 non-NCAA).
Notable
Temple enrolled its largest-ever freshman class with the Class of 2029, reflecting strong application growth. Located in North Philadelphia, Temple is one of the most diverse large urban universities in the Northeast. Test-optional policy has driven significant application increases. Strong value as a Pennsylvania state-related university with relatively low in-state tuition (~$19K). Good safety option for mid-Atlantic students.
Admissions Strategy
- High acceptance rate (~81%) with test-optional policy has driven significant application growth to 45K+
- EA available but no significant rate advantage reported; essentially a rolling-admissions-like school for most applicants
- Forums describe Temple as a straightforward safety for mid-Atlantic students, especially Pennsylvanians seeking in-state tuition (~$19K)
- Largest-ever freshman class with Class of 2029, suggesting the school is actively growing enrollment
Campus Culture & Fit
- Diverse, vibrant urban campus in North Philadelphia; students describe it as what you make of it
- Philadelphia location provides strong internship and career access, with Center City a subway ride away
- Safety is the #1 concern on every forum: 89% of surveyed students said Temple is not doing enough to protect them; ~45% feel unsafe off-campus
- Multiple violent incidents (including a fatal shooting of a student in 2021 and a campus police sergeant in 2023) have driven transfer considerations — nearly 50% of students have considered transferring due to safety
- Finding friends can be challenging in a 40K-student school, but dorm life and organizations help
Financial Aid Reputation
- Strong value as a Pennsylvania state-related university with relatively low in-state tuition
- Merit aid available but not as generous or predictable as Alabama-type automatic awards
- For out-of-state students, the value proposition is weaker — forums suggest it's best for PA residents
Simulation-Relevant Takeaways
- Very low yield (14%) reflects Temple's role as a safety/backup school that many admitted students don't ultimately attend
- Safety concerns are a real yield suppressor — forums show this drives both transfer-outs and initial enrollment decisions
- For modeling: high application volume (45K) + low yield (14%) + urban safety friction = classic high-volume urban safety school pattern
Sources
- Temple University CDS 2024-2025 (ira.temple.edu)
- Temple University Fact Book 2024-2025
- College Factual net price data
- Temple admissions student profile page
- Temple news releases