University of Nevada-Reno
Public Research University in Reno, NV. Six-year graduation rate 61%. Median 10-year earnings $60,614.
Students who entered University of Nevada-Reno reach a median of $60,614 ten years later, which puts this school in the upper band of undergraduate earnings outcomes. Six-year completion sits at 61%, near the national average for undergraduate institutions. Graduates carry a median of $18,922 in debt — in line with the national norm.
Earnings: College Scorecard, median ten years after entry across students who received federal aid — completers and non-completers alike.
- ✓ Debt-to-income ratio 0.31 — healthy (below the 0.40 threshold)
- ✓ 3-year loan default 0.0% — below national benchmark
Admissions
University of Nevada-Reno accepts 74% of applicants, which makes it accessible to most students who meet the baseline requirements. With 17,679 applications received, this is a school operating at national scale. 27% of those admitted enroll, which is unremarkable in either direction. 14% of enrolled first-years submitted an SAT score. The bands below describe the middle half of that group, not of the class.
Test score bands (middle 50% of submitters)
These bands describe the enrolled first-years who submitted a score, not the entering class. Where most students apply test-optional the submitters are a self-selected, higher-scoring group.
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | Submitted |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading | 540–650 | 498 (14%) |
| SAT Math | 520–640 | |
| ACT Composite | 19–26 | 2,035 (59%) |
IPEDS Admissions · 2024
Apply at University of Nevada-Reno →Academics
Completion is middling: 61% finish inside six years. Retention is strong at 80%, and first-year attrition is where most degrees are lost. Retention and completion are close, which places the gap between entering and finishing almost entirely in year one. Part-time students fare worse, returning at 42% — relevant if you plan to work while enrolled. A 17:1 ratio is unremarkable; expect a mix of lecture halls and seminars.
Financial Aid
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24 · grant and loan rates against 15,723 degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates
Students pay an average of $17,226 annually once grants are applied. The income table below is the number that matters — $12,674 at $0–30k versus $21,646 at $110k+. About 71% get grants averaging $8,181, so plan on the possibility of paying closer to full price. About 27% borrow federally, roughly the national pattern.
Entering first-year students
A different, smaller group than the rates above: full-time students in their first year of college anywhere. The grant series here also excludes the "other sources" counted in the all-undergraduate figure, so the two are not comparable.
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24 · 3,388 students
Net price by family income
The same students as the headline above, limited to those who received Title IV federal aid — a narrower group, with a lower overall average. IPEDS publishes no combined figure across these bands, so they should not be averaged into one.
| Family income band | Average net price |
|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,674 |
| $30–48k | $13,125 |
| $48–75k | $14,537 |
| $75–110k | $18,317 |
| $110k+ | $21,646 |
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24
Federal student loans went to 4,303 of these 15,723 students, totalling $26,323,741 — an average of $6,118 each.
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24
Local housing costs
Typical rents near campus (Washoe County) — budget these against any cost-of-attendance housing estimate.
HUD Fair Market Rents (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities) · FY2026
Veterans & GI Bill
VA GI Bill Comparison Tool (Veterans Affairs GIDS)