National university
#9 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in AmericaUnion University
Jackson, TN · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $27,171 a year
Median debt at graduation: $20,714 (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 NCAA Division II athletes in America#9 of 292
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#67 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#61 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#101 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#115 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#129 of 1,132
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- Best colleges for marketing in America#101 of 834
- Best small colleges in America#110 of 906
- Best colleges for business in America#211 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#183 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#178 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#108 of 744
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best colleges for psychology in America#239 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#311 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#240 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#227 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#271 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#238 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#227 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#238 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#240 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#223 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#237 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#170 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#177 of 749
In Tennessee
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Tennessee#2 of 29
- Best colleges for nursing in Tennessee#3 of 31
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in Tennessee#1 of 10
- Best colleges for accounting in Tennessee#3 of 30
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Tennessee#3 of 30
- Best colleges for marketing in Tennessee#3 of 24
Show 21 more
- Best small colleges in Tennessee#3 of 24
- Best colleges for business in Tennessee#5 of 38
- Best colleges for education in Tennessee#5 of 36
- Best colleges in Tennessee#6 of 43
- Best colleges for social work in Tennessee#3 of 19
- Best colleges for engineering in Tennessee#4 of 25
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Tennessee#6 of 36
- Best colleges for English in Tennessee#6 of 36
- Best colleges for history in Tennessee#6 of 36
- Best colleges for music in Tennessee#6 of 35
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Tennessee#5 of 29
- Best colleges for chemistry in Tennessee#6 of 34
- Best colleges for mathematics in Tennessee#6 of 34
- Best colleges for psychology in Tennessee#6 of 34
- Best test-optional colleges in Tennessee#5 of 28
- Best colleges for finance in Tennessee#4 of 22
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Tennessee#8 of 43
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Tennessee#2 of 10
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Tennessee#6 of 28
- Best colleges for art and design in Tennessee#6 of 27
- Best colleges for computer science in Tennessee#6 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.66%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.89%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,256 · ACT 26
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$14,464
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: $58,363 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) | 1,891 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 37% · Women 63% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 33% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 28% |
| Total students | 2,674 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $27,171 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $58,363 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $20,714 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 66% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 56% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 57% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 66% |
| First-year retention | 89% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $53,990 |
| Admission rate | 60% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $35 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $960 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 25% |
| Average SAT | 1256 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 600–710 |
| SAT math | 560–680 |
| ACT composite | 22–30 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Marketing | |
| Social work | |
| Psychology | |
| Liberal arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Allied health, Arts management, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Bible/Biblical Studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Botany/Plant Biology, Business (general), Chemistry, Clinical and counseling psychology, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Computer science, Computing and information science, Criminology, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Economics, Electrical engineering, Electrical engineering technology, English, Entrepreneurship, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Film and video, Finance, Fine arts, History, Information technology, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Journalism, Kinesiology and exercise science, Linguistics, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology, Music, Other philosophy and religious studies, Pastoral counseling, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Physical Sciences, Physics, Political science, Public relations, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious Institution Administration and Law, Religious Music and Worship, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Security science, Sociology, Software and media applications, Special education, Teacher education, Teaching English as a second language, Theatre, Zoology/Animal Biology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 13% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 18% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,780 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Gulf South Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 11%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 99%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $25,182IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 68% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)About 77 miles away · about 1 hour 45 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Nashville International Airport (BNA)About 126 miles away |
| Town population | 68,435Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MemphisAbout 74 miles away · about 1 hour 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 38°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Jackson 4 NE, TN, about 3 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 | 0.46 | 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 Union 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 Union University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $27,171 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 Union University?
- Union University admitted 60% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Union University’s graduates do?
- 66% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $53,990; the median federal debt at graduation is $20,714.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 221971
- 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): Southern Baptist
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