Lee University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Cleveland, Tennessee. It enrolls 2,617 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes64
Value32
Affordability48
Selectivity54
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 70.5%, Lee University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
70.5%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1040 – 1230
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
20 – 27
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Lee University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
9.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Lee University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $18,878 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$18,878
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
29%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
42%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$23,790
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,110
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,110
Books & Supplies
$1,320
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,240
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,240
Total Cost of Attendance
$35,688
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$12,834
$30,001 – $48,000
$13,845
$48,001 – $75,000
$17,029
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,699
Over $110,000
$24,641
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,20010%percentile
$6,25025%percentile
$25,750Medianpercentile
$30,25075%percentile
$40,71290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $20,750
↓ $5,000
No Pell $19,000
↓ $6,750
Dependent students $20,250
↓ $5,500
Independent students $16,500
↓ $9,250
Female students $21,000
↓ $4,750
Male students $18,750
↓ $7,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,334, less than completers ($25,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
51% of full-time students who enrolled at Lee University graduate within six years, and 82% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
51%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
82%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Lee University earn a median of $43,222 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,222
Earning > $25K
70%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$31,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$46,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$39,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $14,700, about 32% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
16.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 83% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Lee University is home to 2,617 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 31% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
2,617
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
31%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 79.8%2,088
Other 7.0%182
Black 3.9%103
International 3.1%82
Hispanic 2.0%52
Asian 1.5%39
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Lee University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityCleveland, Tennessee
Housing
Strongly residential2,037 beds for 2,617 students
Adult Learners
18%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Lee University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
73 distinct programs across
22 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Lee University is 12:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$166M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,349
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
155 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
54
35%
$75,957
Associate Professors
39
25%
$67,940
Assistant Professors
48
31%
$64,251
Lecturers
14
9%
$54,191
Pros & Cons of Lee University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Lee University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
CONS
Below-average completion rate
Frequently Asked Questions about Lee University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Lee University.
Is Lee University hard to get into?
Admissions at Lee University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 70.5%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Lee University?
Lee University has an acceptance rate of 70.5%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Lee University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Lee University scored between 1040 and 1230 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Lee University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Lee University scored between 20 and 27 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Lee University cost?
The average net price after aid at Lee University is $18,878 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Lee University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,222 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $18,878 per year. That's roughly 2.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Lee University known for?
Lee University is best known for its programs in Psychology, Nursing, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Lee University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Lee University are $43,222, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Lee University accredited?
Yes. Lee University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Lee University?
Lee University enrolls 2,617 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Lee University?
Lee University graduates 51% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Lee University a public or private college?
Lee University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Lee University located?
Lee University is located in Cleveland, Tennessee.
What programs does Lee University offer?
Lee University offers 73 distinct programs. The most popular include Psychology, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Lee University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Lee University is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Tennessee
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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