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Liberty University

Private Nonprofit Graduate Fair 53/100

Liberty University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Lynchburg, Virginia

About Liberty University

Liberty University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Lynchburg, Virginia. It enrolls 50,012 students (a very large 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.

Official website: liberty.edu

Acceptance: 99%
Graduation: 33.9%
Net Price: $29,357
Median Earnings (10yr): $44,813
Enrollment: 50,012
Student : Faculty: 18:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Fair

53/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 63

Value 6

Affordability 40

Selectivity 2

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 99%, Liberty University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

99%

Open

SAT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

ACT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Liberty University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 48.3 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Liberty 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 $29,357 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$29,357

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

38%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

46%

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: $22,465
Room & Board (on-campus): $13,835
Room & Board (off-campus): $11,870
Books & Supplies: $1,596
Other Expenses (on-campus): $6,593
Other Expenses (off-campus): $7,306
Total Cost of Attendance: $42,025

Application fee: $50 (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

$30,667
$30,001 – $48,000

$27,807
$48,001 – $75,000

$27,347
$75,001 – $110,000

$27,142
Over $110,000

$30,545

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.

$3,167

10% percentile

$5,902

25% percentile

$24,500

Median percentile

$27,000

75% percentile

$39,016

90% 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 $16,666 ↓ $7,834

No Pell $14,120 ↓ $10,380

Dependent students $15,000 ↓ $9,500

Independent students $16,500 ↓ $8,000

Female students $16,280 ↓ $8,220

Male students $15,250 ↓ $9,250

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($24,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

34% of full-time students who enrolled at Liberty University graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

34%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

79%

Returning for their second year

What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Liberty University earn a median of $44,813 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$44,813

Earning > $25K

69%

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

$33,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$49,400

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$36,400

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$40,800

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$45,500

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $15,700, 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 ↑ 23.8 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Strong. 80% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Liberty University is home to 50,012 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 42% are first-generation college students.

Total Enrolled

50,012

Part-Time

35%

First-Generation

42%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 56.6% 28,317

Black 10.6% 5,276

Hispanic 7.9% 3,966

Other 4.8% 2,406

Asian 1.8% 890

International 0.8% 415

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Liberty University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Small City Lynchburg, Virginia

Housing

Partly residential 8,807 beds available

Adult Learners

48% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

Liberty University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 214 distinct programs across 29 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.

15 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)

19 Programs

Health

Mental Health Services $52K ($38K–$69K)
Nursing $89K ($68K–$114K)
Public Health $59K ($42K–$79K)

18 Programs

Theology

Theology $45K ($31K–$62K)
Theology $45K ($31K–$62K)
Bible/Biblical Studies $45K ($29K–$62K)

10 Programs

Interdisciplinary Studies

6 Programs

Philosophy & Religion

Religion/Religious Studies $41K ($21K–$65K)
Religion/Religious Studies $41K ($21K–$65K)
Religion/Religious Studies $41K ($21K–$65K)

10 Programs

Public Administration

Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Public Administration $65K ($47K–$87K)
Public Administration $65K ($47K–$87K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Liberty University is 18:1, on the higher side.

Student : Faculty

18:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$3.8B

Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability

Avg Faculty Salary

$72,721

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

623 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	213	34%	$91,462
Associate Professors	215	35%	$75,236
Assistant Professors	177	28%	$61,835
Instructors	18	3%	$39,201

Pros & Cons of Liberty University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Liberty University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Accessible admissions for most applicants
Wide variety of programs and student life
First-gen-friendly student body

CONS

Above-average net price
Class sizes are on the higher side
Large institutional setting can feel impersonal
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years

Best for: Based on the data, Liberty University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.

Frequently Asked Questions about Liberty University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Liberty University.

Is Liberty University hard to get into?

Liberty University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 99%.

What is the acceptance rate at Liberty University?

Liberty University has an acceptance rate of 99%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

How much does Liberty University cost?

The average net price after aid at Liberty University is $29,357 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Liberty University worth it?

Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,813 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $29,357 per year. That's roughly 1.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Liberty University known for?

Liberty University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Counseling Psychology, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Liberty University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Liberty University are $44,813, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Liberty University accredited?

Yes. Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How many students attend Liberty University?

Liberty University enrolls 50,012 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Liberty University?

Liberty University graduates 34% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Liberty University a public or private college?

Liberty University is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Liberty University located?

Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia.

What programs does Liberty University offer?

Liberty University offers 214 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Counseling Psychology, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Liberty University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Liberty University is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.