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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee

43
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Break-even
+$53,918 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

6.6 yrs
Break-even
+51%
10-year ROI
$60,998
Median earnings as of 2024
75% of Lipscomb University students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$24,739
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$60,998
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$46,162
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$19,500
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
72%
Graduation rate as of 2024
75%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
79%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
84%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$53,918
After 10 years
$213,898
After 20 years
$373,878
After 30 years
$533,858
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$51,609
Men
$68,238

24% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$52,467
From higher-income families
$59,616

12% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$56,713
Independent students
$53,018

7% gap between the two groups

24%
First-generation students
29%
Take federal student loans
95%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 66%Hispanic 14%Asian 3%Black 7%Other 10%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$20,048
$30k–$48k$20,009
$48k–$75k$24,124
$75k–$110k$25,210
$110k+$31,265

How Lipscomb University compares

This college against the Tennessee and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Lipscomb University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Lipscomb University

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's$103,294+1,078%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$81,972$21,082+547%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$79,655$23,732+496%Strong return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$76,487$24,375+440%Strong return
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationDoctoral$142,488$269,705+394%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$69,023$25,000+310%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$90,346$41,000+298%Strong return
Non-Professional Legal StudiesAssociate's$66,804$23,250+276%Strong return
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, GeneralAssociate's$61,152+226%Strong return
Human Resources Management and ServicesAssociate's$63,033$23,317+211%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionCertificate$76,220$25,506+188%Strong return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsCertificate$60,844+60%Break-even
Curriculum and InstructionCertificate$60,811$20,500+49%Break-even
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyCertificate$60,728$58,215+31%Break-even
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherCertificate$56,696+18%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasCertificate$56,294+14%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasAssociate's$48,508-29%Poor return
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign LanguageCertificate$49,525-54%Poor return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's$47,528$18,250-55%Poor return
Social WorkAssociate's$47,085-58%Poor return
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsCertificate$48,209$61,583-74%Poor return
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$43,062$22,610-134%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Lipscomb University

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

68%
Admission rate
1,256
Average SAT
26
Median ACT
2,997
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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