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Nashville, TN · Nashville, TN
| Lipscomb University | Vanderbilt University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $24,739/yr | $15,846/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $20,048/yr | $3,414/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $19,500 | $14,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $20,009/yr | $1,876/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $24,124/yr | $4,498/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $25,210/yr | $12,153/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $31,265/yr | $45,145/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $207/mo | $148/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,424/yr | $22,054/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $16,170/yr | No data reported |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,700/yr | $1,194/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,600/yr | $3,396/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $55,117/yr | $89,590/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $40,572/yr | $67,498/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $40,572/yr | $67,498/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 24% | 20% |
| Students taking federal loans | 29% | 9.6% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 68% | 5.9% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1160–1380 | 1500–1570 |
| SAT average | 1256 | 1549 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 23–30 | 34–35 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 24–33 · Math 22–28 | English 35–36 · Math 32–35 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 4,244 | 45,313 |
| Students accepted | 2,828 | 2,844 |
| Students who enrolled | 711 | 1,622 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 25% | 57% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 14% | 25% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 48% | 26% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Not considered | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 72% | 94% |
| Freshmen who come back | 84% | 96% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $55,541/yr | $91,565/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $36,819–$82,845 | $59,554–$138,460 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 68% | 93% |
| White students graduating | 75% | 94% |
| Black students graduating | 66% | 89% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 46% | 93% |
| Asian students graduating | 68% | 97% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $50,454/yr | $73,909/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 75% | 89% |
| Graduate on time | 62% | 87% |
| Pell students who graduate | 66% | 89% |
| First-gen students who finish | 63% | 90% |
| Low-income students who finish | 62% | 92% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $53,623/yr | $84,542/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Visual & Performing Arts 17% · Health Professions 12% | Social Sciences 31% · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 16% · Engineering 12% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees | Social Sciences — 31% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Visual & Performing Arts — 17% of degrees | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 16% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 12% of degrees | Engineering — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 12% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Psychology — 7% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration — $108,662/yr | Law — $156,307/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 21% | 32% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 2,997 | 7,208 |
| Students per professor | 13 : 1 | 8 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,681 | 6,354 |
| Average professor pay | $8,832/mo | $16,361/mo |
| Full-time professors | 50% | 85% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $47,725 | $58,118 |
| Setting | City (large) | City (large) |
| Location | Nashville, TN | Nashville, TN |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1891 | 1873 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral/Professional Universities | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 3.4% | 11% |
| Men | 39% | 48% |
| Women | 61% | 52% |
| White students | 66% | 39% |
| Black students | 7.2% | 9.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 13% | 11% |
| Asian students | 3.1% | 19% |
| Two or more races | 3.4% | 5.7% |
| Other / not reported | 3.8% | 4.9% |
| Special type | Religiously affiliated | None |
| First-generation students | 24% | 12% |
| Part-time students | 4.3% | 0.6% |
| Students age 25+ | 8% | 0.2% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $12,062/yr | $34,184/yr |
| Endowment | $117.3M | $10.2B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 1,600 | 6,009 |
| Required to live on campus | No | Yes — for first-year students |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $8,252/yr | $13,484/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,552/yr | $7,570/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 21 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | Churches of Christ | No data reported |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | Yes |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | Yes | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | No |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I without football | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | No | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 13 | 14 |
| Student athletes | 262 | 453 |
| Athletic scholarships | $6.9M | $21.5M |
| Athletics budget | $25.4M | $146.4M |
| Athletics revenue | $25.4M | $146.4M |
| Recruiting spend | $321,991 | $2.9M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.