Private Nonprofit · Jackson, Tennessee

Union University

Union University is a private nonprofit institution in Jackson, Tennessee. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$53,990
10-yr median earnings
60.4%
Acceptance rate
$27,171
Avg net price / yr
68.3%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Union University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 23%
former-student earnings, US
60.4%
acceptance rate
68.3%
150%-time completion
+19%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Union University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C
College Value Score
57/100
Union University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings B+
$53,990
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$27,171
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate B-
68.3%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$20,714
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A-
77.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A-
89.0%
First-year students returning for year two
Union University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$53,990

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$27,171

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

68.3%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 68.3%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Union University vs peers

Union University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Union University positioned by earnings vs c… Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Prof Doctoral/P… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $21K $70K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $11K $30K Avg Net Price ($) Union University (you are here): $54K earn · $27K net · 68% grad You are here - Union University The University of the South: $65K earn · $28K net · 81% grad The University of … Lincoln Memorial University: $50K earn · $20K net · 52% grad Lincoln Memorial U… Bethel University: $47K earn · $13K net · 35% grad Bethel University Trevecca Nazarene University: $49K earn · $17K net · 54% grad Trevecca Nazarene … Carson-Newman University: $48K earn · $20K net · 50% grad Carson-Newman Univ… Rhodes College: $67K earn · $29K net · 83% grad Empire Beauty School-Jackson: $24K earn · $15K net · 40% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Union University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Union University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$53,990 Top 23% higher than 77% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Union University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $53,990 #1176 of 5103 77th
Average net price $27,171 #4171 of 5020 17th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 68.3% #1554 of 4858 68th
Undergraduate enrollment 1,607 #1681 of 5462 69th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

1,607
Undergraduate enrollment
60.4%
Acceptance rate
1,256
SAT average
68.3%
150%-time completion
$53,990
10-yr median earnings
89.0%
First-year retention

How Union University ranks in Tennessee

State rank among 120 reporting Tennessee colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Union University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $53,990 #18 of 120 85th
Average net price $27,171 #114 of 124 8th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 68.3% #43 of 117 63rd
Undergraduate enrollment 1,607 #36 of 130 72nd

Highest former-student earnings in Tennessee

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Vanderbilt University$91,565$15,846
2Baptist Health Sciences University$72,529$11,212
3Rhodes College$66,651$28,585
4The University of Tennessee Health Science Center$66,318-
5Jersey College - Cleveland$66,087-
6Jersey College - Knoxville$66,087-
7The University of the South$64,911$27,872
8Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting$62,978-
9Galen Health Institutes-Nashville Campus$61,480$27,267
10The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$60,249$18,976
11King University$59,831$22,347
12Cumberland University$57,687$18,759
18Union UniversityThis school$53,990$27,171

Admissions

Admission Rate 60.4%
SAT Average 1,256
SAT Math (25th-75th) 560 – 680
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 600 – 710
ACT Average 27
ACT (25th-75th) 22 – 30
0%100%60.4%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Union University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Union University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $40,025
Out-of-State Tuition $40,025
Average Net Price $27,171
24.5%
Pell Grant Rate
42.4%
Federal Loan Rate
$20,714
Median Debt
$220/mo
Monthly Payment

2013–2023: what Union University costs has stayed close to flat

Average net price moved +23.1% over 10 years, from $21,779 to $26,815 in nominal dollars. The median college measured over the same span moved +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $21,7792014: $24,0772015: $24,5692016: $25,4372017: $22,8392018: $27,5512019: $28,2492020: $29,9902021: $27,4752022: $28,5332023: $26,815
2013 · $21,7792023 · $26,815

Over the same years, enrollment went -36.2% (2,567 → 1,637 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

71.3%
Female
32.5%
First Generation

Outcomes

89.0%
Retention Rate
$45,505
Median Earnings (6yr)
67.3%
Earning Over $25K
77.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 68.3%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 89.0%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $45,505
Median earnings 10 years after entry $53,990
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 67.3%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 77.3%
Median federal student debt At completion $20,714
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $220/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 13 372 $54,135 $72,824 $24,093
Master's 7 269 $72,366 $108,206 $39,018
Doctoral 4 53 $153,481 $211,565 $145,566
First Professional 1 0 $69,625 $69,625 $34,108
Associate's 1 26 - - $19,750

Top programs at Union University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Doctoral - $211,565 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Doctoral 32 $182,606 $152,499
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Doctoral - $131,659 $209,190
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 27 $108,206 $45,333
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 78 $99,874 $51,250
Educational Administration and Supervision Doctoral 21 $88,094 $75,008
Theology and Religious Vocations, Other Master's 11 $80,560 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 170 $72,824 $17,437
Educational Administration and Supervision First Professional - $69,625 $34,108
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 59 $63,234 $27,147
Educational Administration and Supervision Master's 57 $58,174 $18,074
Marketing Bachelor's 15 $57,184 $22,729
Social Work Master's 73 $54,660 $39,435
Education, General Master's 23 $53,072 $41,000
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Master's 0 $52,015 -

Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Union University?
Union University is a private nonprofit institution in Jackson, Tennessee. The acceptance rate is 60.4%. The average SAT score is 1,256. Undergraduate enrollment is 1,607 students.
How much do Union University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Union University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $53,990 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $45,505.
How much does Union University cost?
The average net price at Union University is $27,171. In-state tuition is $40,025 and out-of-state tuition is $40,025. Median student debt at graduation is $20,714.
What is the graduation rate at Union University?
Union University has a 68.3% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 89.0%.
Is Union University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Union University is $20,714, while former students earn a median of $53,990 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 38% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 77.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $220.

Sources & methodology

Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.

Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Union University

Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.