University of the Cumberlands

Admission to University of the Cumberlands is virtually open, though its position on national league tables has drifted downward. In the US News National University Rankings, the university placed at 395 in 2026, down from 230 in 2019. Acceptance is nearly universal for applicants. In 2025, the undergraduate admit rate reached 98.8%, which was higher than 98% of peer schools among all private comprehensive universities. The yield rate was 33.3%, indicating that about one-third of accepted students chose to enroll, a figure higher than 79% of peer institutions. Because the school denies very few applicants, prospective students face virtually no competitive barrier to entry. Rather than worrying about admission thresholds, families evaluating the university should focus on curriculum fit and academic support to determine if its offerings meet their educational goals.

University of the Cumberlands maintains an admission test policy where standardized test scores are not considered, operating as a test-blind institution where scores are not used even if submitted. Recent years have no published score ranges. Looking at past enrollment figures, in 2023, 73% of enrolled students submitted ACT scores, while 4% submitted SAT scores. For students preparing their applications, this test-blind framework means that standardized examination results play no role in an admissions review. Applicants do not need to target specific exam percentiles or numerical thresholds to qualify for consideration. Instead, prospective undergraduates should focus on completing standard secondary school diploma requirements, fulfilling foundational course prerequisites, and demonstrating steady progress on high school transcripts. Families can plan around the school's general academic entry criteria rather than preparing for testing benchmarks.

Academic conferring at University of the Cumberlands is heavily concentrated at the advanced level, with graduate awards far outnumbering bachelor's degrees. At the undergraduate level, degree conferrals show moderate concentration, with the top three majors accounting for 42.6% of all bachelor's graduates in 2025. The most popular undergraduate programs are General Studies, Business/Commerce, and Psychology. None of the university's programs hold top-100 positions on national major ranking tables, indicating that institutional popularity is driven more by accessibility and professional certification than elite academic prestige. Earnings data from 2023 show substantial variation across fields one year after graduation. Baccalaureate recipients in registered nursing achieved median earnings of $80,606, while general business graduates earned a median of $49,515. For prospective undergraduates, selecting professional disciplines like nursing delivers strong early career compensation, whereas broader liberal arts tracks show more typical wage outcomes.

The student body at University of the Cumberlands in 2025 was heavily weighted toward advanced-degree seekers, with graduate students accounting for nearly two-thirds of the overall population. Undergraduate cohorts are largely regional and domestic, where White students form the vast majority and foreign or Asian representation among first-year students remains well under two percent. In contrast, the graduate division is far more internationally and culturally diverse. Within the graduate student body, international students numbered 4,481, representing 30.9% of the cohort. Asian students also maintained a sizeable graduate presence, numbering 1,299 and making up 9% of all graduate degree seekers. Female students constituted the majority across both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Undergraduate and graduate cohorts at University of the Cumberlands exhibit contrasting age structures that shape very different student environments. In 2025, undergraduate enrollment was centered on traditional college ages, with students aged 18 to 19 comprising 18.4% of the undergraduate body and those aged 20 to 21 making up 18.3%. In contrast, the graduate division serves an older population of working adults. Students aged 25 to 29 formed the largest graduate segment at 32.2%, followed by those aged 30 to 34 at 24.8%. This demographic profile indicates that undergraduate campus life primarily engages emerging adults, whereas the much larger graduate division is organized around working professionals pursuing specialized advancement.

International student presence at University of the Cumberlands differs drastically between degree tiers. At the undergraduate level, international enrollment has remained limited, representing 1.8% of undergraduates in 2025, a proportion higher than 21% of peer schools among all private comprehensive universities. Conversely, the graduate division has experienced massive international expansion, with international students comprising 30.9% of all graduate students in 2025. This divergence carries directly into graduation outcomes. International students earned only a small fraction of bachelor's degrees, with their highest undergraduate representation found in general business. At the master's level, however, international students accounted for over a third of all degree recipients, concentrating heavily in STEM and quantitative business programs. For example, international students made up 66.2% of master's graduates in Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, alongside substantial majorities in information technology and business administration.

Applicants exploring regional possibilities around Williamsburg, Kentucky, have several distinct institutions to evaluate within easy driving range. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is a large public research university located 55.8 kilometers away, holding a rank of 109 in the 2027 US News National University Rankings. For students seeking smaller liberal arts settings, Berea College sits 58.1 kilometers away and is ranked 62 among national liberal arts colleges, while Centre College is located 71.4 kilometers away with a liberal arts ranking of 54. Additionally, Tennessee Technological University, located 84.1 kilometers away, offers an alternative public option ranked 299 among national universities.

Campus safety records at University of the Cumberlands show a low overall incident rate, with reported infractions consisting almost entirely of substance-related disciplinary violations. In 2025, the campus crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 0.8. Across the three-year reporting window from 2023 to 2025, internal disciplinary referrals made up the vast majority of logged infractions. Alcohol violations accounted for the highest volume, with 117 liquor law disciplinary referrals recorded over those years. Drug law disciplinary referrals formed the second-largest category, totaling 62 incidents between 2023 and 2025. Violent offenses were rare on campus, including 3 reported dating violence incidents and minimal police arrests during the same timeframe. Prospective students and families can see that institutional safety matters are predominantly disciplinary conduct issues related to alcohol and drugs rather than predatory crime.