National university
#5 Best colleges in TennesseeLipscomb University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $24,739 a year
Median debt at graduation: $19,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
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#66 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#60 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#100 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#114 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#128 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#100 of 834
Show 20 more
- Best colleges for business in America#209 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#181 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#176 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#107 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#237 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#308 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#238 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#225 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#268 of 1,481
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#338 of 1,829
- Best colleges for history in America#236 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#225 of 1,187
- Best mid-size colleges in America#127 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#236 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#238 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#221 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#235 of 1,116
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#149 of 684
- Best colleges for computer science in America#168 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#175 of 749
In Tennessee
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Tennessee#1 of 29
- Best colleges for nursing in Tennessee#2 of 31
- Best colleges for accounting in Tennessee#2 of 30
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Tennessee#2 of 30
- Best colleges for marketing in Tennessee#2 of 24
- Best colleges for social work in Tennessee#2 of 19
Show 24 more
- Best colleges for business in Tennessee#4 of 38
- Best colleges for education in Tennessee#4 of 36
- Best colleges in Tennessee#5 of 43
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Tennessee#5 of 43
- Best colleges for engineering in Tennessee#3 of 25
- Best mid-size colleges in Tennessee#2 of 15
- Best colleges for finance in Tennessee#3 of 22
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Tennessee#4 of 29
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Tennessee#5 of 36
- Best colleges for English in Tennessee#5 of 36
- Best colleges for history in Tennessee#5 of 36
- Best test-optional colleges in Tennessee#4 of 28
- Best colleges for music in Tennessee#5 of 35
- Best colleges for chemistry in Tennessee#5 of 34
- Best colleges for mathematics in Tennessee#5 of 34
- Best colleges for psychology in Tennessee#5 of 34
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Tennessee#5 of 28
- Best colleges for art and design in Tennessee#5 of 27
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Tennessee#2 of 10
- Best colleges for computer science in Tennessee#5 of 25
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Tennessee#3 of 12
- Best value colleges in Tennessee#3 of 10
- Best value colleges in the South in Tennessee#3 of 10
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Tennessee#3 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.72%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,256 · ACT 26.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,062
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: $55,117 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) | 3,270 |
|---|---|
| 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 | 24% |
| Total students | 5,047 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $24,739 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $55,117 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 72% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 61% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 63% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 69% |
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $55,541 |
| Admission rate | 68% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $50 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 24% |
| Average SAT | 1256 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 590–700 |
| SAT math | 570–680 |
| ACT composite | 23–30 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (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 |
|---|---|
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Accounting | |
| Business administration | |
| Marketing | |
| Nursing | |
| Human resources | |
| General studies | |
| Biology | |
| Social work | |
| Communication studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Secondary education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Writing and rhetoric |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Area studies, Arts management, Bible/Biblical Studies, Biochemistry, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Chemistry, Civil engineering, Computer engineering, Computer science, Computing and information science, Criminal justice, Design, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, Education (general), Electrical engineering, English, Entrepreneurship, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Family and human development, Film and video, Finance, Fine arts, Foods, Nutrition,, German, Health sciences, History, Hospitality management, Information technology, International business, International relations, Journalism, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Literature, Management information systems, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other theology and religious vocations, Pastoral counseling, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Pre-health, Pre-law and legal studies, Public administration, Public relations, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious studies, Romance languages, Software and media applications, Special education, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations, Sustainability Studies, Theatre, Urban Studies/Affairs, Visual and performing arts.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Health professions | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 4% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 8% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $15,424 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Atlantic Sun Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 50%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $21,501Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 49% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Nashville International Airport (BNA)About 7 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance)About 5 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 38°F1991–2020 normal, from SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE, TN US, about 6 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 79°F1991–2020 normal, from SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE, TN US, about 6 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 | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 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 Lipscomb University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 17% 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 Lipscomb University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $24,739 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 Lipscomb University?
- Lipscomb University admitted 68% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Lipscomb University’s graduates do?
- 72% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $55,541; the median federal debt at graduation is $19,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 219976
- 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): Churches of Christ
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Colleges like this one
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