Southern Adventist University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Collegedale, Tennessee. It enrolls 2,773 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
59/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes51
Value29
Affordability37
Selectivity54
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 65.5%, Southern Adventist University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
65.5%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1020 – 1300
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 25
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Southern Adventist University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Southern Adventist University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,345 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,345
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
31%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
42%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$27,300
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,900
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,600
Books & Supplies
$1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$38,618
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$19,123
$30,001 – $48,000
$20,421
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,849
$75,001 – $110,000
$26,679
Over $110,000
$30,751
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,00010%percentile
$8,22525%percentile
$24,500Medianpercentile
$30,00075%percentile
$41,37690%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,500
↓ $5,000
No Pell $12,500
↓ $12,000
Dependent students $17,485
↓ $7,015
Independent students $20,000
↓ $4,500
Female students $18,750
↓ $5,750
Male students $15,625
↓ $8,875
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $12,000, less than completers ($24,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
47% of full-time students who enrolled at Southern Adventist University graduate within six years, and 82% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
47%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
82%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Southern Adventist University earn a median of $53,723 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$53,723
Earning > $25K
79%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$42,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$51,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$45,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,800, about 17% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 86% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Southern Adventist University is home to 2,773 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
2,773
Part-Time
11%
First-Generation
18%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 36.6%1,016
Hispanic 26.0%720
Asian 14.2%393
International 7.7%213
Other 6.8%187
Black 5.6%156
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southern Adventist University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbCollegedale, Tennessee
Housing
Mostly residential1,500 beds on campus
Adult Learners
7%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Southern Adventist University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
80 distinct programs across
24 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southern Adventist University is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$169M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$58,167
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
141 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
57
40%
$62,448
Associate Professors
55
39%
$59,549
Assistant Professors
27
19%
$47,452
Instructors
2
1%
$42,804
Pros & Cons of Southern Adventist University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Southern Adventist University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Below-average completion rate
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Adventist University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Southern Adventist University.
Is Southern Adventist University hard to get into?
Admissions at Southern Adventist University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 65.5%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Southern Adventist University?
Southern Adventist University has an acceptance rate of 65.5%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Southern Adventist University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Southern Adventist University scored between 1020 and 1300 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Southern Adventist University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Southern Adventist University scored between 19 and 25 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Southern Adventist University cost?
The average net price after aid at Southern Adventist University is $24,345 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southern Adventist University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $53,723 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,345 per year. That's roughly 2.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southern Adventist University known for?
Southern Adventist University is best known for its programs in Nursing, Nursing, Biology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Southern Adventist University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Southern Adventist University are $53,723, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Southern Adventist University accredited?
Yes. Southern Adventist University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Southern Adventist University?
Southern Adventist University enrolls 2,773 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Adventist University?
Southern Adventist University graduates 47% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Southern Adventist University a public or private college?
Southern Adventist University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Southern Adventist University located?
Southern Adventist University is located in Collegedale, Tennessee.
What programs does Southern Adventist University offer?
Southern Adventist University offers 80 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Nursing, Biology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southern Adventist University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southern Adventist University is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Rankings That Feature Southern Adventist University
Southern Adventist University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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