National university
#11 Lowest net price for middle-income families in AmericaVanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,846 a year
Median debt at graduation: $14,000 (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 education in America#5 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#5 of 1,238
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#4 of 690
- Best colleges in America#14 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#11 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#11 of 1,358
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- Best test-optional colleges in America#12 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#11 of 1,187
- Best colleges for English in America#13 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#13 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#13 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#13 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#13 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#9 of 750
- Best colleges for music in America#13 of 1,063
- Best colleges for engineering in America#11 of 749
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#11 of 682
- Best colleges for economics in America#13 of 788
- Best mid-size colleges in America#12 of 667
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#7 of 367
- Most selective colleges in America#15 of 683
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#42 of 1,829
- Best value colleges in the South in America#5 of 153
- Best value colleges in America#23 of 674
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#21 of 598
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#9 of 197
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#32 of 681
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#40 of 684
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#54 of 704
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#58 of 704
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#63 of 693
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#81 of 690
In Tennessee
- Best colleges in Tennessee#1 of 43
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Tennessee#1 of 43
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Tennessee#1 of 36
- Best colleges for education in Tennessee#1 of 36
- Best colleges for English in Tennessee#1 of 36
- Best colleges for history in Tennessee#1 of 36
Show 24 more
- Best colleges for music in Tennessee#1 of 35
- Best colleges for chemistry in Tennessee#1 of 34
- Best colleges for mathematics in Tennessee#1 of 34
- Best colleges for psychology in Tennessee#1 of 34
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Tennessee#1 of 29
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Tennessee#1 of 28
- Best test-optional colleges in Tennessee#1 of 28
- Best colleges for art and design in Tennessee#1 of 27
- Best colleges for computer science in Tennessee#1 of 25
- Best colleges for engineering in Tennessee#1 of 25
- Best colleges for economics in Tennessee#1 of 16
- Best mid-size colleges in Tennessee#1 of 15
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Tennessee#1 of 12
- Best value colleges in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Best value colleges in the South in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Most selective colleges in Tennessee#1 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.94%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.96%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,549 · ACT 34.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.8 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$34,184
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: $89,590 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) | 7,152 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 48% · Women 52% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 12% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 86% |
| Total students | 13,456 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,846 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $89,590 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $14,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 94% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 92% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 90% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 84% |
| First-year retention | 96% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $91,565 |
| Admission rate | 6% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1549 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 730–770 |
| SAT math | 770–800 |
| ACT composite | 34–35 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 2% (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 |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Mathematics | |
| Economics | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Romance languages | |
| Social sciences | |
| Political science | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Public Policy Analysis | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Sociology | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Psychology | |
| History | |
| English | |
| Neuroscience | |
| Music | |
| Teacher education |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation, Area studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Cognitive Science, Communication studies, Computer engineering, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Education (general), Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electrical engineering, Engineering Science, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Family and human development, Film and video, Fine arts, Geology and earth science, German, Other education, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-law and legal studies, Religious studies, Science, Technology and Society, Secondary education, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Special education, Sustainability Studies, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Engineering | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $22,054 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Southeastern Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 8 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 85%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $745,167IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 84% of studentsBeds ÷ undergraduates; not how many live on campus |
| Nearest major airport | Nashville International Airport (BNA)About 7 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Nashville-DavidsonIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 38°F in January · 79°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Shelby Bottoms Nature, TN, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.37 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 1.18 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.22 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 5.97 | 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 Vanderbilt University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 1% 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 Vanderbilt University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,846 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 Vanderbilt University?
- Vanderbilt University admitted 6% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Vanderbilt University’s graduates do?
- 94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $91,565; the median federal debt at graduation is $14,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 221999
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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