More selective than 80% of Kentucky colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $44,322. College Scorecard.
Higher than 7% of Kentucky colleges we cover and 15% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 19% of Kentucky colleges we cover and 17% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Union Commonwealth University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 834 applicants, Union Commonwealth University admitted 459 and 198 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Union Commonwealth University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Union Commonwealth University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Union Commonwealth University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Kentucky. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,214 | $53,497 | 6.3 years |
| $30–48k | $14,368 | $62,932 | 7.4 years |
| $48–75k | $15,774 | $69,090 | 8.1 years |
| $75–110k | $44,322 | $194,130 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $44,322 | $194,130 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (24% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($42,002) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,486 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Union Commonwealth University majors, earnings & careers
Union Commonwealth University offers 30 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Health & Medicine · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Business & Finance · 4
- Education · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Arts & Design · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Union Commonwealth University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $87,221 | $27,830 |
| Business Administration | $51,079 | $27,875 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $41,475 | — |
Quick list of all 30 majors
- Accounting—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Biology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$51,079
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminal Justice—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$41,475
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing—
- Mathematics—
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions—
- Music—
- Nursing$87,221
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Psychology—
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Barbourville
2 bedrooms $909.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 54 inches of rain a year, 11 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Knox County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Knox County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Union Commonwealth University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Kentucky by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Commonwealth University | 63% | $21,311 | 32% | $42,002 | This school |
| Kentucky Christian University | 61% | $24,038 | 37% | $42,375 | |
| Clear Creek Baptist Bible College | — | $10,949 | 38% | $41,623 | |
| University of Pikeville | — | $20,311 | 42% | $48,231 | |
| The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | 56% | — | 40% | — |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Union Commonwealth University would cost you $2,727 less per year than Kentucky Christian University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Union Commonwealth University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$4,321).
- Union Commonwealth University gives aided families $6,881 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Kentucky resident | Union Commonwealth University | Kentucky Christian University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $30,946 | $26,625 | +$4,321 |
| Books & supplies | $1,500 | $1,400 | +$100 |
| Housing & meals | $8,261 | $9,400 | −$1,139 |
| Personal & travel | $4,100 | $4,648 | −$548 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$485 | −$1,905 | +$1,420 |
| Sticker price | $44,322 | $40,168 | +$4,154 |
| Average grants | −$23,011 | −$16,130 | −$6,881 |
| You pay | $21,311 | $24,038 | −$2,727 |
“+” means Union Commonwealth University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Union Commonwealth University
What is the Union Commonwealth University acceptance rate?
Union Commonwealth University accepts 63% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 459 of 834 applicants were admitted.
How much does Union Commonwealth University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $44,322 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $21,311 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,214 and families earning $110k+ pay $44,322.
How much do Union Commonwealth University graduates earn?
Former Union Commonwealth University students earn a median $42,002 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Union Commonwealth University graduation rate?
32% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 64% return for their second year.
How long does a Union Commonwealth University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Union Commonwealth University costs about $69,090 after grants ($15,774 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $42,002 ten years after starting, $8,486 more than high school graduates in Kentucky ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 8.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Union Commonwealth University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/union-commonwealth-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).