Campbell University

Admission to Campbell University is relatively accessible, though the institution has slipped in national standing and sees a low yield among admitted students. In the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges ranking, Campbell placed at 342, declining from 272 in 2020. The university admitted 87.2% of applicants in 2025, an acceptance rate higher than 70% of peer schools in a comparison group of private comprehensive universities with similar rankings. Despite this open admissions profile, convincing admitted students to enroll remains challenging. The university recorded an undergraduate yield rate of 10.2% in 2025, indicating that only a small fraction of accepted candidates chose to matriculate. For prospective students, these metrics mean that securing an offer of admission is quite manageable, while the low yield suggests that many admitted applicants evaluate other institutions before making a final commitment.

Campbell University operates under a test-blind admission policy where standardized test scores are not considered, meaning scores are not used even if submitted. For prospective students planning their applications, this policy places the evaluative focus entirely on high school coursework, grades, and personal accomplishments rather than testing metrics. Over the years leading up to recent admissions cycles, student reporting habits shifted substantially. In 2013, 93% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores, but that share dropped down to 30% by 2022. Over the same span, the proportion of students submitting ACT results rose from 26% in 2013 to 52% in 2022. Because Campbell does not review standardized testing, admissions evaluations center on secondary school performance. Prospective applicants evaluating the university can approach the process knowing that admissions decisions rely on sustained classroom performance and secondary coursework rather than standardized exam outcomes.

Undergraduate degree conferrals at Campbell University are fairly distributed rather than heavily concentrated, with the top three programs accounting for 26.1% of the 658 bachelor's degrees awarded in 2025. The largest undergraduate fields include general business administration, registered nursing, and exercise science. However, the university's recognized academic strengths are concentrated at the graduate and professional levels rather than among its largest undergraduate majors. In U.S. News graduate rankings, Campbell earned strong standing in specialized disciplines, placing 40th in trial advocacy for 2026 and 58th in physician assistant studies for 2025. Across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in 2025, international students comprised 0% of graduating cohorts. In the workforce, undergraduate returns differ sharply by discipline. Based on 2023 earnings data, registered nursing alumni earned the highest median salary one year after graduation at $76,934. Families evaluating Campbell should note that while undergraduate options focus on practical foundations, the institution's most prominent reputations remain rooted in graduate healthcare and legal education.

Campbell University enrolled a total of 4,963 students in 2025, divided between undergraduate programs and a substantial graduate division. Graduate students accounted for nearly half the student body, numbering 2,264 individuals. Across the campus, White students form the majority group, while international and Asian students make up relatively small shares of enrollment. Among the incoming freshman class, international students numbered 14, making up 2.3% of new undergraduates, while Asian freshmen represented a similarly small group. Continuing undergraduates also showed modest international and Asian participation. The largest presence of Asian students appears in the graduate schools, where 186 Asian students represented 8.2% of all graduate enrollment, compared to just over twenty international graduate scholars. For prospective students, these distributions mean the undergraduate campus is predominantly domestic and regional, whereas graduate and professional degree programs feature greater racial diversity, especially among Asian students.

Undergraduate students at Campbell University follow a traditional age profile, whereas graduate programs serve young adult professionals. In 2025, undergraduates were heavily concentrated in early college ages, with students aged 18 to 19 representing 36.4% of the undergraduate population and those aged 20 to 21 making up 29.2%. This creates an undergraduate campus life focused on traditional collegiate activities and young adults progressing straight from secondary education. In contrast, the graduate student body is older, where students aged 22 to 24 formed the single largest group at 37.6%. These complementary demographics shape two distinct campus rhythms, pairing a conventional residential undergraduate environment with career-focused professional programs.

International enrollment at Campbell University is limited across both undergraduate and graduate divisions, maintaining a small footprint overall. In 2025, international students made up 2.1% of the undergraduate student body. This undergraduate proportion is higher than 33% of peer schools in a comparison group of private comprehensive universities with similar rankings. In the graduate division, international representation is similarly modest, with international students comprising 1.1% of all graduate students in 2025, down from earlier years. This small presence carries through to degree completions: in 2025, international students represented 0% of graduates across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. As a result, international degree recipients did not concentrate in specific academic majors at any level. For prospective international applicants, these figures show that international peers form a very small minority on campus, and academic programs are oriented primarily toward domestic students.

Families considering Campbell University can explore several prominent higher education options located within short driving distance in North Carolina. Located 26.2 kilometers away, North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a National University ranked 73 in the 2027 rankings. A bit further northwest sits the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a National University holding rank 27 at a distance of 38.9 kilometers. Nearby in Durham, Duke University is a National University situated 42.4 kilometers from Campbell, holding a top ranking of 8. Additionally, Elon University provides another private alternative 64.4 kilometers away, ranked 100 among National Universities. These institutions offer diverse collegiate environments within the broader Research Triangle and central North Carolina region.

Campus safety records at Campbell University indicate a low overall level of serious crime, with safety reports dominated primarily by institutional disciplinary issues. In 2025, the university registered a crime rate of 4.5 per 1,000 students, down from 7 in 2016. Looking across the three-year span from 2023 to 2025, internal policy violations made up the bulk of campus incidents. Disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations constituted the largest total across those years, with 54 reported cases. Property-related incidents also occurred during the 2023 to 2025 period, including 10 motor vehicle thefts, alongside single-digit counts of drug referrals, larcenies, dating violence, and liquor law arrests. For incoming students, these data demonstrate that violent crime remains rare on campus, while adherence to campus alcohol policies and basic vehicle security represent the primary practical concerns.