Lyon College
U.S. News Liberal Arts 2027
#168
Acceptance rate
62.8%
2025
Peer median 69.4%
Tuition per year
$31,000
$41,750 with room and board
Peer median $33,770
Undergraduates
657
Student-faculty ratio 11:1
Peer median 11 : 1
Graduation rate
30.8%
4-year; 6-year rate 38.3%
Peer median 45.1%
“Peers” are all 403 private baccalaureate colleges in the U.S. (by Carnegie Classification).
About
- Type
- Private nonprofit, 4-year
- Location
- Batesville, Arkansas
- Website
- www.lyon.edu
- Undergraduates
- 657
- Student-faculty ratio
- 11 : 1
This collegeRanked colleges nearby
- Setting
- Remote town
- Nearest major city
- Little Rock, about 80 mi
- Nearest international airport
- Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM), about 110 mi
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Religious affiliation
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- President
- Melissa Taverner (President)
- Phone
- 8703077000
- City
- Batesville, Arkansas
- Address
- 2300 Highland Road, Batesville, AR 72501
Rankings & Admission
Peer median 69.4% · all 403 private baccalaureate colleges in the U.S.
Acceptance rate by gender, 2025
In 2020: men 44.5%, women 44.3%.
Test Scores
SAT/ACT not considered, even if submitted IPEDS (US Department of Education) has no recent SAT/ACT data for admitted students here. GPA, course rigor, essays and activities matter more.
How Hard Is It to Get In
about 6 in 10
1,654 applicants in 2025, 62.8% admitted
1,038 admitted 616 not admitted Yield 22.5%
Degrees & Majors
Graduates in 2025 (first major)
U.S. studentsInternational
All majors, graduates and earnings IPEDS · College Scorecard
*Depends on whether majors have graduates in 2025 or not, Yes / No
**Move mouse on can check deitaled graudates number, click for major detailed information
***Due to privacy policy, graduate salaries are not shown for some majors that has few gradautes
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | $40,788 | |
| Accounting. | - | |
| Finance, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Science and Kinesiology. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | $29,323 |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropology, General. | - | |
| Economics, General. | - | |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. | - | |
| Political Science and Government, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. | - | |
| Fine/Studio Arts, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Education and Teaching. | - | |
| Secondary Education and Teaching. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| History, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics, General. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Science Technologies/Technicians, Other. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish Language and Literature. | - |
| Major | Graduate Salary | Under |
|---|---|---|
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | - |
Students
659 students in 2025 · Undergraduate men to women 56:44 · Freshman retention 71.3%
- Continuing undergraduates 376
- First-year undergraduates 234
- Graduate students 2
- Transfers and others 47
Undergraduate race and ethnicity (657)
International Students
International share over the last 10 years · gray line: median of all 403 private baccalaureate colleges in the U.S.
51 in 2025 · 4.9% in 2016
Cost
2025 cost per year
$41,750
- Undergraduate tuition
- $31,000
- Room and board
- $10,750
- Graduate tuition
- $9,840
Peer median tuition + room and board $46,780 · all 403 private baccalaureate colleges in the U.S.
Tuition rose 23% from 2016 to 2025; room and board rose 33%.
Finances · fiscal year 2024
Revenue$15.5M
Expenses$41.1M
Average faculty salary · 2025 (9-month equivalent)
Dark gray ticks: median pay for the same rank at all 403 private baccalaureate colleges in the U.S.
Campus Life
Athletics and varsity athletes NCAA · Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference · St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference: football
St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference: basketball, baseball, cross country
| NCAA Division III with football | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Football | 113 | - |
| Soccer | 45 | 24 |
| Baseball | 52 | - |
| Basketball | 25 | 23 |
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 25 | 16 |
| Track and Field (Indoor) | 25 | 14 |
| Softball | - | 30 |
| Volleyball | - | 21 |
| Cross Country | 11 | 7 |
| Golf | 12 | 5 |
| Wrestling | 8 | 8 |
| NCAA Division III with football | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Football | 121 | - |
| Soccer | 40 | 21 |
| Baseball | 51 | - |
| Basketball | 19 | 21 |
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 23 | 16 |
| Track and Field (Indoor) | 19 | 14 |
| Softball | - | 29 |
| Cross Country | 10 | 13 |
| Volleyball | - | 23 |
| Wrestling | 11 | 10 |
| Other Sports | - | 19 |
| Golf | 11 | 7 |
| NCAA Division III with football | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Football | 124 | - |
| Soccer | 45 | 26 |
| Baseball | 35 | - |
| Basketball | 16 | 17 |
| Cross Country | 13 | 11 |
| Wrestling | 15 | 8 |
| Golf | 15 | 6 |
| Softball | - | 18 |
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 8 | 10 |
| Volleyball | - | 16 |
| Other Sports | - | - |
Nearby & Safety
Ranked colleges nearby
-
Harding UniversitySearcy · 37.1 mi
U.S. News #276
-
Hendrix CollegeConway · 65.6 mi
Liberal Arts #100
-
Rhodes CollegeMemphis · 101.6 mi
Liberal Arts #49
-
University of MemphisMemphis · 105.3 mi
U.S. News #288
-
University of ArkansasFayetteville · 144.2 mi
U.S. News #191
-
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla · 150.6 mi
U.S. News #191
-
University of MississippiUniversity · 153.2 mi
U.S. News #179
-
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale · 188.9 mi
U.S. News #288
-
Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis · 211.1 mi
U.S. News #16
Peer median 8.9 · all 403 private baccalaureate colleges in the U.S.
Incidents, 2023–2025
From the Clery Act campus safety reports schools file, covering on-campus, non-campus and public property.
Notable Alumni
Notable alumni of Lyon College include Garrard Conley (Author of Boy Erased, LGBTQ activist), William Allan Oldfield (U.S. Representative from Arkansas) and Robert Cashner (Ichthyologist and retired academic administrator).
-
Garrard Conley 1985–
Author of Boy Erased, LGBTQ activist
-
William Allan Oldfield 1874–1928
U.S. Representative from Arkansas
-
Robert Cashner 1942–2018
Ichthyologist and retired academic administrator
-
Nathalie Beaux-Grimal 1960–
French Egyptologist
-
María Monterroso 1993–
Forward for Guatemala women's national football team
-
Judd Deere 1987–
White House deputy press secretary under Trump
-
Allie Beth Martin 1914–1976
Librarian, educator and author
References and Data Sources
Data from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education), U.S. News, THE, QS, ARWU and Clery Act campus safety reports. Data insights are written by the Forward Pathway data team from public data.