Union Commonwealth University

Barbourville, KY · SoutheastQuad's selectivityAccessible

Known forGenerous aid

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

6 in 10 applicants admitted

Union Commonwealth admits about 6 in 10 applicants (63%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 73% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

63%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

996

Admitted

629

Yield

39%

of admits enroll

ACT middle 50%

15–22

1236

Applications −28% since fall 2014 · admit rate 75% → 63%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 746 undergrads, where 53% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

746

undergrads · larger than 28% of colleges

Diversity index

0.68

Pell Grant

53%

above the median

First generation

41%

above the median

Remote townNAIA · Appalachian Athletic ConferenceStudy abroad

More diverse · index 0.40 → 0.68 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (20% of graduates). 14 students for every faculty member, more than at 58% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $5,205 a year on instruction per student.

14 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 58% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $17,846 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.4K less than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $17,124 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $44,807.

60%

$17.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $6.4K below the national median

Full price: $44,807 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Little need-based aid above $110K; aid thins out for families above that income
Merit aid: 48% · avg $23K; of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)

Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 60% of full price

Federal loans

61%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost falling · −20% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $42,002 ten years after enrolling, more than at 17% of colleges; 40% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.7 years of that salary.

40%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$42K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$24.3K

≈ $257/month for 10 years

Retention

64%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 32% → 32% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 20%, because grants grew faster. Applications fell 28% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 75% to 63%.

Cost
Falling
−20% after inflation
Applications
Shrinking
−28%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 75% → 63%
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.40 → 0.68

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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799 undergrads

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Erskine College

63% admit · 766 undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast

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Calumet College of Saint Joseph

529 undergrads

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Bethany College

59% admit · 614 undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
Union Commonwealth University (2026)
Union Commonwealth University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 157863 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything