Catholic School CompassTrue north for Catholic families.
University of Chicago: 1st women in the tower (4457983750)
Photo: Quinn Dombrowski from Berkeley, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

University of Chicago

  • LocationChicago, IL
  • Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 18,339 students
Official website

University of Chicago is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

The University of Chicago's spirituality office lists Calvert House as the Catholic Center at the University. The Catholic Students Association is listed as a student group, and a priest is listed as its advisor.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of University of Chicago, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches1 mi2 mi3 miSaint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church: 0.6 mi1St. Gelasius Church: 0.7 mi2Saint Anselm Catholic Church: 1.2 mi3Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church: 1.5 mi4St. Ambrose Catholic Church: 1.5 mi5Saint Columbanus Church: 1.8 mi6University of Chicago (campus)N1 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church — 0.6 mi · 5472 South Kimbark Avenue, Chicago
  2. St. Gelasius Church — 0.7 mi · 6415 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago
  3. Saint Anselm Catholic Church — 1.2 mi · 6045 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago
  4. Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church — 1.5 mi · 4910 South Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Drive, Chicago
  5. St. Ambrose Catholic Church — 1.5 mi · 1012 East 47th Street, Chicago
  6. Saint Columbanus Church — 1.8 mi · 7105-7121 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

N/ACatholic life on campus: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Catholic life on campus

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes (The university's own spiritual life office names Calvert House as the Catholic Center at the University of Chicago.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Places for Prayer | Spirituality Websitespirit.uchicago.edu/spaces/places-for-prayer · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Calvert House, Catholic Center at the University of Chicago”
      The university's spirituality office lists Calvert House as the Catholic Center at the University of Chicago.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusYes (The university lists Calvert House, the Catholic Center at the University of Chicago, among its places for prayer.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Places for Prayer | Spirituality Websitespirit.uchicago.edu/spaces/places-for-prayer · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Calvert House, Catholic Center at the University of Chicago”
      The university's spirituality office lists Calvert House as the Catholic Center at the University of Chicago.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)One (Counted: the Catholic Students Association. The Catholic graduate student group listed on the same page is not counted.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian | Spirituality Websitespirit.uchicago.edu/community/religious-spiritual-groups/christian · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “The Catholic Students Association (CSA) aims to build a social community around the Catholic population on campus at the University of Chicago”
      The university's spirituality office lists the Catholic Students Association, which aims to build a community around Catholic students on campus.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 1 mile of campusComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adorationNot enough information: no verified Mass times are recorded.

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • A Catholic student group, the Catholic Students Association, is listed by the university for practicing and interested Catholic students.
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian | Spirituality Websitespirit.uchicago.edu/community/religious-spiritual-groups/christian · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “The Catholic Students Association (CSA) aims to build a social community around the Catholic population on campus at the University of Chicago”
      The university's spirituality office lists the Catholic Students Association, which aims to build a community around Catholic students on campus.
  • A priest is listed as advisor to the Catholic Students Association.
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian | Spirituality Websitespirit.uchicago.edu/community/religious-spiritual-groups/christian · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Advisor: Fr. Andrew Wawrzyn (awawrzyn@uchicago.edu)”
      Fr. Andrew Wawrzyn is listed as advisor to the Catholic Students Association.

Concerns

None recorded.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

Catholic clubs and student life

1 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 0 off campus, 1 location not published

Clubs and groups 1

  • Catholic Students Association (CSA)
    Builds a social community around Catholic students and plans service, spiritual and social events.
    spirit.uchicago.edu

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (1)
  1. Places for Prayer | Spirituality Websitespirit.uchicago.edu/spaces/places-for-prayer · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Calvert House, Catholic Center at the University of Chicago”
    The university's spirituality office lists Calvert House as the Catholic Center at the University of Chicago.

Reach out

Contact details for Fr. Andrew Wawrzyn (Advisor, Catholic Students Association) and 1 official social and news channels are available to signed-in users.

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Academic Excellence

AAcademic Excellence: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
100 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.96%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.99%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,554 · ACT 34.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.5 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$96,069

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Campus facts

SportsNCAA Division III · University Athletic Association
SettingCity
ROTCArmy · Air Force
Study abroadOffered
Students per faculty member5 to 1

Federal data (IPEDS). None of this changes the faith grades.

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
7,643
Total students18,339
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$14,860
Cost of attendance (per year)$90,360
Median federal debt at graduation$15,000
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
96%
First-year retention99%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$91,885
Admission rate4%
Students receiving Pell grants15%
Admitted students’ middle range:SAT 1510–1580ACT 34–35
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1554
SAT reading & writing740–780
SAT math770–800
ACT composite34–35
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 87 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Archdiocese of Chicago

His Eminence Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago

Formal address: “Your Eminence”

Source: usccb.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

Questions families ask

Is University of Chicago a Catholic college?
No. University of Chicago is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by Calvert House, Catholic Center at the University of Chicago.

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Colleges like this one

Close in size, cost after aid, selectivity and faith life.

Catholic Life ScoreStanford UniversityStanford, CA18,446 students · Net price $13,807 a yearCatholic Life ScoreVanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN13,456 students · Net price $15,846 a yearCatholic Life ScoreWashington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MO16,500 students · Net price $21,786 a yearCatholic Life ScoreMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA11,920 students · Net price $20,111 a year

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