Drexel University is a private, nonprofit research university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It receives no state appropriation and is not part of Pennsylvania’s public university systems. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education designates Drexel as “Private not-for-profit” with a Research 1 classification, meaning it ranks among the nation’s most active research universities.
What Private Nonprofit Means for Students
As a private nonprofit institution, Drexel sets its own tuition rates without the in-state and out-of-state pricing tiers you see at public universities. For the 2026-2027 academic year, full-time undergraduate tuition runs $21,026 per term, or about $63,078 for three terms of enrollment. Mandatory fees add another $2,370 per year. Every student pays the same base rate regardless of where they live.
That sticker price is significantly higher than what you’d pay at a Pennsylvania public school, but it doesn’t tell the full story. About 75% of first-year students at Drexel received need-based financial aid in fall 2023, with the average need-based scholarship or grant coming in at $40,401. Students who didn’t qualify for need-based aid still received an average of $23,607 in merit scholarships. After aid, the actual cost for many students drops well below the published tuition figure.
How Drexel Differs From Pennsylvania’s Public Schools
Pennsylvania has an unusual higher education structure that can create confusion. The state has four “state-related” universities: Penn State, Temple, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University. These schools receive state funding through legislative appropriations, which subsidize tuition discounts for Pennsylvania residents. In exchange, the state holds a seat on each university’s board of trustees. They function as public-private partnerships.
Drexel has no such arrangement. It operates entirely independently, funded by tuition revenue, private donations, research grants, and its endowment. Its board of trustees is self-governing with no state-appointed members. This independence gives the university more flexibility in setting its own academic priorities and tuition structure, but it also means students don’t benefit from state-subsidized tuition rates.
Why the Distinction Matters
Whether a school is public or private affects several practical things beyond tuition. Private universities like Drexel typically have smaller class sizes and more flexibility in curriculum design. Drexel is well known for its cooperative education (co-op) program, which integrates paid work experience into the degree timeline. Most undergraduates complete up to 18 months of full-time professional work before graduating.
The private status also matters for financial aid purposes. When you fill out the FAFSA, Drexel’s cost of attendance will reflect private university pricing. Many private schools, Drexel included, also accept or require the CSS Profile, a more detailed financial aid application that helps the institution distribute its own scholarship funds. If you’re comparing Drexel to a Pennsylvania public university, request financial aid estimates from both before assuming the public option will cost less out of pocket. Merit and need-based awards at private schools can sometimes close the gap considerably.