Liberal arts college
#3 Best colleges in KentuckyTransylvania University
Lexington, KY · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $21,913 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (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 exercise science and kinesiology in America#116 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#150 of 1,132
- Best small colleges in America#127 of 906
- Best colleges for business in America#244 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#209 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#202 of 1,238
Show 12 more
- Best colleges for psychology in America#267 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#352 of 1,829
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#357 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#253 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#270 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#308 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#253 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#266 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#265 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#270 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#247 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#264 of 1,116
In Kentucky
- Best colleges for accounting in Kentucky#1 of 21
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Kentucky#2 of 29
- Best colleges for business in Kentucky#2 of 26
- Best colleges for education in Kentucky#2 of 26
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Kentucky#2 of 25
- Best colleges in Kentucky#3 of 29
Show 13 more
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Kentucky#2 of 19
- Best colleges for psychology in Kentucky#3 of 26
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Kentucky#3 of 25
- Best test-optional colleges in Kentucky#3 of 25
- Best colleges for English in Kentucky#3 of 24
- Best colleges for history in Kentucky#3 of 23
- Best colleges for mathematics in Kentucky#3 of 23
- Best colleges for art and design in Kentucky#3 of 22
- Best colleges for chemistry in Kentucky#3 of 21
- Best colleges for music in Kentucky#3 of 20
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Kentucky#3 of 20
- Best small colleges in Kentucky#3 of 18
- Best colleges for economics in Kentucky#3 of 13
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.71%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.87%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,287 · ACT 27
- 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.$12,370
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: $60,993 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) | 1,022 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 16% |
| Total students | 1,022 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $21,913 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $60,993 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 71% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 68% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 64% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 75% |
| First-year retention | 87% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $54,705 |
| Admission rate | 87% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,079 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 26% |
| Average SAT | 1287 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 580–690 |
| SAT math | 540–690 |
| ACT composite | 24–30 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Business (general) | |
| Psychology | |
| Romance languages |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Communication studies, Computing and information science, Economics, English, Fine arts, German, History, Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Music, Neuroscience, Other social sciences, Other visual and performing arts, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, Physics, Political science, Religious studies, Secondary education, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education, Sociology, Sociology and Anthropology, Teacher education, Theatre, 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 | |
| Biology | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Psychology | |
| Social sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,697 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 7%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 65%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $242,827IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 64% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Blue Grass Airport (LEX)About 6 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)About 69 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Lexington-FayetteIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 34°F in January · 77°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lexington Bluegrass Airport, KY, about 6 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 | 0.00 | 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 Transylvania University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 19% 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 Transylvania University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $21,913 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 Transylvania University?
- Transylvania University admitted 87% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Transylvania University’s graduates do?
- 71% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $54,705; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 157818
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- 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 Church (Disciples of Christ)
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