# Cumberland University (CU)

Private nonprofit college in Lebanon, TN. IPEDS ID 219949.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/cumberland-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/cumberland-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 67% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $18,759 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 46%; beats 25% of TN colleges and 34% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $57,687; beats 82% of TN colleges and 64% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $11,250

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $17,882 |
| 30-48k | $18,048 |
| 48-75k | $19,609 |
| 75-110k | $20,333 |
| 110k+ | $20,917 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.32 years on average (30% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $57,687 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $17,882 | $77,250 | 3.3 years |
| 30-48k | $18,048 | $77,967 | 3.4 years |
| 48-75k | $19,609 | $84,711 | 3.7 years |
| 75-110k | $20,333 | $87,839 | 3.8 years |
| 110k+ | $20,917 | $90,361 | 3.9 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $43,358
- Tuition and fees: $27,840
- Housing and meals: $10,360; books: $1,200

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 2,788 applicants, 1,868 admitted, 673 enrolled; test scores not considered
- Fall 2024: acceptance 67%, ACT not reported (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 67%, ACT not reported (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (34 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $67,094 | $78,954 | $29,250 |
| Business Administration | $35,538 | $60,477 | $19,297 |
| Accounting | not reported | $51,366 | not reported |
| Criminal Justice | $45,223 | $51,032 | not reported |
| Psychology | $27,023 | $42,713 | $22,437 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | $41,369 | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Special Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Writing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $23,264 | not reported | $28,476 |
| Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Applied Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Arts and Entertainment Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Business | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Management Science / Analytics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Marketing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Nursing → Registered nurse: median wage $84,040 (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN), $81,500 (TN), $97,550 (U.S.)
- Education (Subject Teaching) → High school teacher: median wage $64,710 (Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN), $61,860 (TN), $72,040 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).