Bellarmine University

Admission to Bellarmine University is relatively unselective, though its institutional standing has slipped in recent years. In the USNews American university rankings, the school dropped from 197 in 2020 to 301 in 2026. Getting in is straightforward for most applicants, as reflected by an acceptance rate of 86.1% in 2025, which is higher than 78% of peer schools in the all private comprehensive universities comparison group. However, the university struggles to convert these admissions into attendance. Its yield rate reached 13.1% in 2025, indicating that only a small fraction of accepted students ultimately choose to enroll. For applicants, this combination of an easing admissions standard and low enrollment pull means Bellarmine is an accessible option where admission is likely, but families should consider its falling ranking trajectory when weighing choices.

Applicants considering Bellarmine University typically present solid high school grades alongside standardized test scores near the lower tier of private institutions. For 2025 enrollees, the SAT median score was 1150, which is higher than 23% of peer schools in the all private comprehensive universities group. On the ACT, the middle 50% composite score spanned from 23 to 28 that year. Academic performance in high school remains a central benchmark for admission: during the 2022-2023 cycle, 37.2% of entering students presented high school GPAs between 3.75 and 3.99, while 10.4% earned a 4.0 GPA. These metrics indicate that while standardized test thresholds are quite accessible compared to peer institutions, successful applicants generally need strong secondary school grades to be competitive.

Academic programs at Bellarmine University show moderate concentration around healthcare and professional disciplines, though its largest programs do not hold leading positions on national ranking tables. In 2025, the top three undergraduate majors accounted for 33.2% of all bachelor's degrees. The single largest undergraduate field was Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, which produced 92 graduates. However, the university's largest undergraduate majors are not highly ranked; in USNews undergraduate program rankings for 2027, nursing was ranked 336 and business was ranked 345. International presence is limited, with international students comprising 3.1% of bachelor's degree recipients in 2025. Despite lower academic rankings, practical market outcomes for healthcare graduates are solid. Based on 2023 earnings data one year after graduation, bachelor's degree recipients in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing achieved median earnings of $80,730. For prospective students, Bellarmine functions primarily as a regional pre-professional institution where nursing provides direct career earnings, even without nationally prominent major rankings.

In 2025, Bellarmine University enrolled 2,886 students, maintaining a predominantly domestic student body. White students make up the clear majority across every division, while Asian and international students account for small shares across campus. Among first-year undergraduates, Asian students numbered 14, representing 2.6% of the entering cohort, alongside 8 international students who made up 1.5%. At the graduate level, Asian and international students each comprised less than four percent of enrollment. Hispanic and Black students represent the primary minority groups on campus, and female students outnumber male students in both undergraduate and graduate divisions. For prospective applicants, these figures reflect a regionally focused student body with modest Asian and international presence.

Bellarmine University maintains an undergraduate population dominated by students of traditional college age, alongside a graduate student body consisting primarily of young adults. In 2025, 42.7% of undergraduates were aged 18 to 19, and 39% were aged 20 to 21, indicating that older undergraduates are uncommon on campus. Meanwhile, graduate enrollment shows a relatively youthful profile rather than mid-career professionals. Students aged 22 to 24 made up 38.7% of the graduate student body, followed by smaller cohorts in their late twenties and thirties. This age distribution means daytime undergraduate campus activities are aligned with students entering directly from high school, while graduate divisions predominantly serve individuals who transitioned into advanced study shortly after completing their bachelor's degrees.

International students represent a small proportion of the Bellarmine University community. In 2025, undergraduate international students accounted for 2.6% of the undergraduate body. This share is higher than 31% of peer schools in the all private comprehensive universities group, where the peer median is 4.2%. At the graduate level, international enrollment stood at 2.2% that same year. Among degree recipients in 2025, international students earned 3.1% of bachelor's degrees and 2.1% of master's degrees, while earning zero doctoral degrees. At the undergraduate level, international graduates were most visible in Business Administration and Management, General, as well as Registered Nursing. In graduate studies, international graduates concentrated primarily in Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia and general business administration. For international applicants, these statistics demonstrate that international students form a modest presence across undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

Families evaluating Bellarmine University can consider several higher education options situated in the surrounding region. Located just 3 kilometers away in Louisville, University of Louisville is a National University ranked 179 in the 2027 rankings. For applicants seeking a liberal arts setting, Centre College is located 64.1 kilometers from campus and holds a rank of 54 among Liberal Arts Colleges. Further east at a distance of 66.4 kilometers is University of Kentucky, a National University ranked 148. Across the state line in Indiana, Indiana University-Bloomington sits 79 kilometers away and holds a rank of 73 among National Universities. These nearby colleges provide families with distinct choices ranging from prominent public research universities to private liberal arts colleges within a reasonable driving distance.

Campus safety at Bellarmine University has shown general stability over recent years, with disciplinary violations representing the primary category of reported incidents. The crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 6 in 2025. Between 2023 and 2025, alcohol-related disciplinary referrals constituted the vast majority of campus incidents, totaling 102 cases. Serious criminal offenses occurred far less frequently across that three-year timeframe. Campus records registered 9 incidents of stalking and 6 reported rapes, alongside a few instances of dating violence and vehicle theft. For prospective students and their families, these figures indicate that security concerns on campus primarily involve internal policy violations related to alcohol, while violent crime remains relatively infrequent.