Capella University
Capella University — Online Programs, Tuition & Accreditation
Capella University
All programs offered completely via distance education
225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-3389
Phone: (866) 808-4080
Website: www.capella.edu
Quick Facts
| Type | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — accredited since approximately 1997, next review August 2033 |
| Programmatic Accreditation | Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) — nursing programmes at baccalaureate, graduate, and doctoral levels, accredited since 2011/2012, next review June 2026 |
| Total Enrolment | 47,761 (18,366 undergraduate, 29,395 graduate) |
| Student-to-Faculty Ratio | 41 to 1 |
| Faculty | 177 full-time, 1,258 part-time |
| Online Programs | Both undergraduate and graduate — 100% of students enrolled exclusively in distance education |
| Awards Offered | Bachelor's degree, Postbaccalaureate certificate, Master's degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree (research/scholarship) |
| Carnegie Classification | Doctoral/Professional Universities |
| Religious Affiliation | None |
| Federal Financial Aid | Yes — eligible for Pell Grants and Direct Loans |
| Military/Veteran Friendly | Yes — Yellow Ribbon Program, credit for military training, dedicated veteran support, DoD MOU |
| Credit Accepted | Credit for life experiences, Advanced Placement (AP) credits |
| Application Fee | $50 |
| Admissions Policy | Open admissions |
| Cohort Default Rate | 0.0% (2021) |
A Note on Accreditation
Capella University holds accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the major regional accreditors in the United States, recognised by the U.S. Department of Education. This is the most widely recognised form of institutional accreditation — Capella's credits are broadly transferable and its degrees are generally accepted by employers. Nursing programmes also hold programmatic accreditation from CCNE at baccalaureate, graduate, and doctoral levels.
Tuition & Fees (2024–2025)
| Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | $14,400 per year |
| Books & Supplies (estimated) | $425 per year |
| Total Estimated Cost — Off Campus | $23,267 per year |
| Total Estimated Cost — Living with Family | $15,917 per year |
| Graduate Tuition | $15,092 per year |
| Graduate Fees | $0 |
Undergraduate tuition has been effectively flat, decreasing slightly from $14,436 in 2023–2024 to $14,400 in 2024–2025. A tuition payment plan is available. Figures are sourced from NCES College Navigator — verify directly with the institution before making financial decisions.
Financial Aid Snapshot (2023–2024)
| Beginning Students Receiving Any Aid | 72% |
| Beginning Students Receiving Grants | 63% — average award $5,621 |
| Beginning Students Receiving Pell Grants | 63% — average award $5,010 |
| Beginning Students Taking Federal Loans | 69% — average loan $6,202 |
| All Undergrads — Average Grant/Scholarship | $3,945 (41% of degree-seeking students) |
| All Undergrads — Average Pell Grant | $3,701 (39% of students) |
| All Undergrads — Average Federal Loan | $7,314 (47% of students) |
| Average Net Price (2023–2024) | $17,199 |
Average Net Price by Family Income (2023–2024)
| $0 – $30,000 | $17,485 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $17,324 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $17,490 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $21,292 |
| $110,001 and more | $22,820 |
Admissions
| Admissions Policy | Open admissions — contact the institution for programme-specific requirements |
| Application Fee | $50 |
Capella University has an open admissions policy at the institutional level, though individual programmes — particularly graduate programmes — may have their own entry requirements. Contact the admissions office for specifics.
Retention & Graduation
| Full-Time Student Retention | 42% (students who began Fall 2023 and returned Fall 2024) |
| Part-Time Student Retention | 40% |
| Overall Graduation Rate (150% time) | 20% (students who began Fall 2018) |
| Transfer-Out Rate | 27% |
| Bachelor's 4-Year Graduation Rate | 20% (both Fall 2016 and Fall 2018 cohorts) |
| Bachelor's 6-Year Graduation Rate | 20% (both Fall 2016 and Fall 2018 cohorts) |
| 8-Year Bachelor's Completion (Full-Time, First-Time, entered 2016–17) | 16% (all students); 10% Pell; 23% non-Pell |
| 8-Year Bachelor's Completion (Full-Time, Non-First-Time, entered 2016–17) | 55% (all students); 47% Pell; 60% non-Pell |
| 8-Year Bachelor's Completion (Part-Time, Non-First-Time, entered 2016–17) | 26% (all students); 21% Pell; 31% non-Pell |
Standard graduation and retention rates should be interpreted with caution — only 1% of Capella's entering students are counted as full-time, first-time, which is the cohort IPEDS tracks for these standard measures. The vast majority of Capella's students are transfer-in or returning adult learners, for whom the 8-year outcome measures are more representative. For the full-time, non-first-time population (transfer students), the 8-year bachelor's completion rate of 55% is considerably more favourable. Capella's primary strength is at the graduate level — it conferred 7,409 master's degrees and 1,075 doctorates in 2023–2024.
Student Demographics (Fall 2024)
| Undergraduate Attendance | 33% full-time, 67% part-time |
| Gender (Undergraduate) | 85% female, 15% male |
| Age (Undergraduate) | 92% aged 25 and over, 8% aged 24 and under |
| Residency (First-Time Students) | 97% in-state (Minnesota), 1% out-of-state, 2% unknown |
| Race/Ethnicity (Undergraduate) | 44% White, 28% Black or African American, 15% Hispanic/Latino, 4% Asian, 4% Two or more races |
| Graduate Attendance | 22% full-time, 78% part-time |
Online Programs Offered
Capella University offers an exceptionally wide range of fully online programmes, with a particular focus at the graduate level. A total of 19,175 awards were conferred in 2023–2024. Major programme areas include:
Health Professions & Nursing (largest area — 8,155 bachelor's, 3,883 master's, 310 doctorates conferred)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (Bachelor's) — 7,779 awards, the largest single programme
- Nursing Administration (Master's) — 779 awards
- Nursing Education (Master's, Doctorate)
- Nursing Practice (Doctorate) — 221 awards
- Mental Health Counselling (Postgrad Certificate, Master's) — 663 awards
- Marriage and Family Therapy (Postgrad Certificate, Master's)
- Health/Health Care Administration (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Clinical/Medical Social Work (Master's) — 393 awards
- Medical Informatics (Postgrad Certificate, Master's)
- Substance Abuse/Addiction Counselling (Postgrad Certificate, Master's)
- Public Health (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
Psychology (858 bachelor's, 1,943 master's, 143 doctorates conferred)
- Psychology, General (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) — 1,048 awards
- Applied Behavior Analysis (Postgrad Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) — 1,277 awards
- Industrial and Organisational Psychology (Master's, Doctorate)
- Forensic Psychology (Bachelor's, Master's)
- Developmental and Child Psychology (Master's, Doctorate)
- Educational Psychology (Master's, Doctorate)
- Clinical Psychology (Master's, Doctorate)
- School Psychology (Postgrad Certificate, Master's, Doctorate)
Business & Management (832 bachelor's, 1,004 master's, 163 doctorates conferred)
- Business Administration and Management (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) — 997 awards
- Human Resources Management (Postgrad Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Project Management (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Accounting (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Organisational Leadership (Postgrad Certificate, Master's, Doctorate)
Education (371 master's, 273 doctorates conferred)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (Postgrad Certificate, Master's, Doctorate)
- Counsellor Education/School Counselling (Postgrad Certificate, Master's, Doctorate)
- Curriculum and Instruction (Master's, Doctorate)
- Special Education and Teaching (Master's)
- Reading Teacher Education (Master's, Doctorate)
- Early Childhood Education (Master's)
- Elementary Education (Master's)
Computer & Information Sciences (206 bachelor's, 66 master's, 34 doctorates conferred)
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Cybersecurity (Postgrad Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Information Technology (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate)
- Computer Programming (Bachelor's)
Public Administration & Social Services
- Social Work (Postgrad Certificate, Doctorate) — 52 awards
- Public Administration (Master's, Doctorate)
- Human Services (Master's, Doctorate)
- Community Organisation and Advocacy (Bachelor's)
All programmes are offered entirely via distance education. Programme availability may change — verify current offerings directly with Capella University.
Student Services Available to Online Students
- Academic and career counselling
- Employment services for students
- Disability services — www.capella.edu/capella-experience/support
Military & Veteran Support
| Yellow Ribbon Program | Yes — participant in the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program |
| Military Credit | Credit awarded for military training |
| Veteran Support | Dedicated point of contact for veterans, servicemembers, and families |
| DoD Partnership | Member of Department of Defense Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU |
| GI Bill Recipients — Undergraduate (2023–2024) | 344 students — average benefit $7,512 |
| GI Bill Recipients — Graduate (2023–2024) | 814 students — average benefit $7,614 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance — Undergraduate | 14 students — average benefit $2,095 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance — Graduate | 51 students — average benefit $2,337 |
| Veteran Tuition Policies | www.capella.edu/tuition-financial-aid/military/benefits |
Important Links
| Admissions | www.capella.edu/admissions |
| Apply Online | www.capella.edu/admissions-requirements |
| Financial Aid | www.capella.edu/tuition-financial-aid/financial-planning |
| Net Price Calculator | www.capella.edu/tuition-financial-aid/net-price-calculator |
| Military & Veterans | www.capella.edu/tuition-financial-aid/military/benefits |
| Disability Services | www.capella.edu/capella-experience/support |
| Mission & Leadership | www.capella.edu/capella-experience/about/university-mission-leadership |
About Capella University
Capella University is a large, private, for-profit university based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that operates entirely online. With nearly 48,000 students, it is one of the largest fully online universities in the United States. Founded in 1993, Capella is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — one of the major regional accreditors — and its nursing programmes hold additional programmatic accreditation from CCNE at all levels. Capella's greatest strength lies at the graduate level: it conferred 7,409 master's degrees and 1,075 doctoral degrees in 2023–2024 alone, covering psychology, health professions, nursing, education, business, and cybersecurity. The institution is best known as one of the leading online providers in mental health counselling, psychology, nursing, and applied behavior analysis. The student body is overwhelmingly female (85%) and adult (92% aged 25+), with the majority studying part-time while working. Capella is a Yellow Ribbon institution supporting over 1,200 GI Bill and DoD tuition assistance recipients in 2023–2024. Prospective undergraduate students should note that Capella's undergraduate completion rates are modest, reflecting a student population that is largely transfer and non-traditional — those coming in as transfer students show significantly better 8-year completion rates than first-time students.
Community Discussion
Have you attended Capella University or are you considering it? Share your experience or ask questions in our Course & Program Reviews forum.
Information on this page is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator database and the institution's official website. Data reflects the most recently available reporting year. Details may have changed — always verify directly with Capella University before making enrolment or financial decisions. Last updated: April 2026.