Regional university
#20 Best colleges for NAIA athletes in AmericaMilligan University
Milligan, TN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $21,365 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,219 (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 NAIA athletes in America#20 of 221
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#207 of 1,046
- Best small colleges in America#226 of 906
In Tennessee
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Tennessee#4 of 29
- Best colleges for nursing in Tennessee#6 of 31
- Best colleges for accounting in Tennessee#6 of 30
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Tennessee#6 of 30
- Best small colleges in Tennessee#5 of 24
- Best colleges in Tennessee#9 of 43
Show 13 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Tennessee#9 of 43
- Best colleges for business in Tennessee#8 of 38
- Best colleges for NAIA athletes in Tennessee#2 of 9
- Best colleges for education in Tennessee#8 of 36
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Tennessee#9 of 36
- Best colleges for English in Tennessee#9 of 36
- Best colleges for history in Tennessee#9 of 36
- Best colleges for music in Tennessee#9 of 35
- Best colleges for chemistry in Tennessee#9 of 34
- Best colleges for mathematics in Tennessee#9 of 34
- Best colleges for psychology in Tennessee#9 of 34
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Tennessee#8 of 29
- Best colleges for engineering in Tennessee#7 of 25
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.63%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,189 · ACT 24.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.10 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,458
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: $52,511 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) | 834 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 51% · Women 49% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 32% |
| Total students | 1,200 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $21,365 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $52,511 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,219 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 63% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 56% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 50% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 72% |
| First-year retention | 82% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $46,641 |
| Admission rate | 72% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $30 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $893 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 24% |
| Average SAT | 1189 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 573–650 |
| SAT math | 560–618 |
| ACT composite | 22–27 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Teacher education |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Arts management, Bible/Biblical Studies, Biology, Broadcasting, Chemistry, Computer science, Computing and information science, Criminal justice, Design, Economics, Electrical engineering, English, Film and video, Fine arts, General studies, Global studies, Health sciences, History, Information technology, Journalism, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology, Music, Other public administration and social service professions, Pastoral counseling, Political science, Public relations, Religious Music and Worship, Romance languages, Secondary education, Social work, Sociology, Theatre, Theology, 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 | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Engineering | |
| Health professions | |
| Computer and information sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 4% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $8,900 |
| Sports | NAIA · Appalachian Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 5%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 68%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $45,784IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 78% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Tri-Cities Regional TN/VA Airport (TRI)About 14 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)About 107 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | CharlotteAbout 111 miles away · about 3 hours 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 36°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Elizabethton, TN, about 4 miles away |
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 | 0.81 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.81 | 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 Milligan University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 32% 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 Milligan University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $21,365 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 Milligan University?
- Milligan University admitted 72% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Milligan University’s graduates do?
- 63% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $46,641; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,219.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 486901
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (medium programs)
- 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): Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
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