National university
#7 Best colleges in KentuckyBellarmine University
Louisville, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $21,499 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Master of Clinical Psychology Information SessionOctober 20, 2026 · 6:00 PM · Louisville, KYMore about Master of Clinical Psychology Information SessionAdd to calendar
- Transfer Virtual Information SessionOctober 21, 2026 · 6:00 PM · VirtualMore about Transfer Virtual Information SessionAdd to calendar
- Fall Preview DayOctober 24, 2026 · 9:00 AM · Louisville, KYMore about Fall Preview DayAdd to calendar
- Master of Arts in Software Engineering Virtual Information SessionOctober 27, 2026 · 6:00 PM · VirtualMore about Master of Arts in Software Engineering Virtual Information SessionAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events (6 more) · From the college's admissions website.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#223 of 1,046
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#169 of 690
In Kentucky
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Kentucky#1 of 17
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Kentucky#5 of 29
- Best colleges for accounting in Kentucky#4 of 21
- Best colleges for business in Kentucky#5 of 26
- Best colleges for education in Kentucky#5 of 26
- Best colleges for nursing in Kentucky#4 of 20
Show 15 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Kentucky#5 of 25
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Kentucky#4 of 19
- Best colleges for psychology in Kentucky#6 of 26
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Kentucky#6 of 25
- Best test-optional colleges in Kentucky#6 of 25
- Best colleges in Kentucky#7 of 29
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Kentucky#2 of 8
- Best colleges for marketing in Kentucky#3 of 12
- Best colleges for English in Kentucky#6 of 24
- Best colleges for history in Kentucky#6 of 23
- Best colleges for mathematics in Kentucky#6 of 23
- Best colleges for finance in Kentucky#3 of 11
- Best colleges for art and design in Kentucky#6 of 22
- Best colleges for chemistry in Kentucky#6 of 21
- Best colleges for engineering in Kentucky#3 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.64%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,210 · ACT 25.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,447
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))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $61,691 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,351 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 27% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 26% |
| Total students | 2,993 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $21,499 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $61,691 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 64% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 63% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 61% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 74% |
| First-year retention | 75% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $62,069 |
| Admission rate | 86% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 31% |
| Average SAT | 1210 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 510–630 |
| SAT math | 520–620 |
| ACT composite | 23–28 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 45% (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.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Finance | |
| Nursing | |
| Allied health | |
| Business administration | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Psychology | |
| Political science | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Communication studies | |
| English | |
| Teacher education |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Arts management, Biochemistry, Biology, Business (general), Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Data Science, Design, Economics, Fine arts, Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities, Health administration, History, Interdisciplinary studies, Liberal arts, Management science, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Physics, Public health, Rehabilitation and therapy, Romance languages, Sociology, Sociology and Anthropology, Special education, Theatre, Theology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 6% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $10,850 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Atlantic Sun Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 49%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $21,803Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 48% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)About 4 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance)About 5 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 35°F1991–2020 normal, from LOUISVILLE BOWMAN FLD, KY US, about 2 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 79°F1991–2020 normal, from LOUISVILLE BOWMAN FLD, KY US, about 2 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.52 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.69 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Bellarmine University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 34% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Bellarmine University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $21,499 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Bellarmine University?
- Bellarmine University admitted 86% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Bellarmine University’s graduates do?
- 64% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $62,069; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 156286
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Roman Catholic
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