Lincoln Memorial University

Lincoln Memorial University has seen its standing decline in recent years, placing 342nd in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. Gaining admission is relatively selective compared to its institutional peers. In 2025, the university admitted 62.6% of applicants, an admit rate that was higher than only 19% of peer schools in its comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. However, the university experiences a modest draw among admitted students. Its yield rate stood at 15.8%, meaning only a small fraction of accepted applicants ultimately enrolled, though this drew higher than over half of its peer group. For prospective students, these metrics show that while the university admits nearly two-thirds of candidates, it contends with significant competition in converting acceptances into enrolled classes.

Undergraduate applicants to Lincoln Memorial University present standardized test scores that align closely with regional and institutional peers. For the class entering in 2025, the median SAT score was 1100, which was higher than 43% of peer schools in its comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. The ACT is submitted far more frequently than the SAT among incoming freshmen, with the composite score for the middle 50% of enrolled students spanning between 18 and 24. Middle-tier performance across English and math sections reflects an accessible admissions profile for students with standard secondary school preparation. Applicants preparing their materials can use these middle ranges to benchmark their competitiveness, as scores within this central band represent typical academic outcomes for admitted candidates.

Lincoln Memorial University focuses heavily on professional graduate training, awarding 778 doctoral degrees compared to 309 bachelor's degrees in 2025. Undergraduate degrees are concentrated in a small selection of fields, with the top three majors accounting for 57.9% of all bachelor's recipients. The largest undergraduate program is Registered Nursing, followed by Business Administration and Management, General, and Pre-Veterinary Studies. While the university confers substantial numbers of degrees in fields like Osteopathic Medicine and Law, none of its academic programs rank within the national top 100 on U.S. News graduate lists, meaning its largest majors are not nationally ranked strengths. However, healthcare graduates achieve solid early compensation: according to 2023 earnings data, bachelor's degree recipients in registered nursing fields earned median starting salaries of $66,618 one year after graduation. For undergraduates, the academic offerings emphasize vocational preparation in allied health and business.

The student body at Lincoln Memorial University is primarily oriented toward graduate education, with graduate students outnumbering undergraduates by a wide margin. Across all programs, white students constitute the clear majority of the student population, while female students outnumber male students at every level. International and Asian students have distinct footprints across these divisions. Among first-time freshmen in 2025, there were 32 international students, accounting for 9% of the entering class, while Asian representation remained minimal at just a handful of undergraduates. In contrast, Asian students have their largest presence in advanced degree programs, where they totaled 381 graduate students, representing 8.6% of the graduate cohort. International graduate enrollment remains very small. For prospective applicants, the demographic composition reflects an institution centered around regional undergraduate enrollment alongside specialized graduate cohorts.

The student body at Lincoln Memorial University divides into a traditionally aged undergraduate population and an older graduate cohort. In 2025, undergraduates were concentrated in traditional college age brackets, with students aged 18 to 19 representing 32.4% and those aged 20 to 21 accounting for 28.7%. In contrast, graduate enrollment was primarily centered in the twenties, led by students aged 25 to 29 at 40.4% and those aged 22 to 24 at 39.7%. Because the graduate cohort is substantially larger than the undergraduate body, students in their twenties and older comprise most of the university's overall population. For prospective undergraduates, this demographic profile means campus environments are shared with a large proportion of older peers enrolled in graduate studies.

International student presence at Lincoln Memorial University is heavily concentrated in undergraduate programs, with negligible representation at the graduate level. In 2025, international students comprised 6.8% of the undergraduate student body, an upward trend over the past decade that placed the university higher than 80% of peer schools in its comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. Conversely, graduate international enrollment has trended downward to just 0.3% of the graduate population. Among degree earners, international graduates are primarily found at the baccalaureate level, while master's and doctoral cohorts include almost none. These undergraduate international graduates concentrate heavily in selected fields, most notably Business Administration and Management, General, where international students accounted for 44% of graduating seniors, alongside smaller shares in psychology and biology. In contrast, the institution's dominant clinical programs, including nursing and medical disciplines, enroll virtually no foreign students.

Applicants evaluating Lincoln Memorial University can consider several other institutions across the surrounding region. The closest major option is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a public national university located 45.7 kilometers away that ranked 109th in the 2027 U.S. News rankings. In Kentucky, Berea College sits 77 kilometers away, holding the 62nd position among national liberal arts colleges. Further northwest, University of Kentucky is situated 111.1 kilometers from campus and ranked 148th among national universities. Additionally, Tennessee Technological University, located 106.3 kilometers away, ranked 299th in the national university category. These institutions offer a mix of large research universities and specialized liberal arts settings within driving distance.

Campus safety reports for Lincoln Memorial University indicate a relatively low overall volume of offenses, with safety indicators remaining fairly steady. In 2025, the crime rate per 1,000 students stood at 2.3. The vast majority of recorded campus infractions involve institutional substance violations rather than violent crimes. Over the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, the largest category of incidents consisted of 38 disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations, alongside 13 disciplinary referrals for drug violations. Interpersonal offenses occurred far less frequently across those same years, led by 11 reported stalking incidents, as well as single-digit totals for rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. For prospective students and families reviewing campus life, security concerns are largely centered on residence-based conduct enforcement, while severe criminal acts remain relatively infrequent.