Regent University

Regent University has seen its standing decline on the US News Best Colleges list, falling to rank 382 for 2027. Despite this downward trend, gaining admission remains competitive compared to peer institutions. In 2025, the university admitted 38.1% of applicants, an admit rate higher than only 4% of peer schools in a comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. This selective threshold means the school turns away a majority of its applicant pool. Once accepted, however, the institution demonstrates moderate enrollment drawing power, posting a yield rate of 21.5% in 2025. For prospective applicants, these figures mean that while the overall ranking has dropped, entry standards remain rigorous relative to similar private institutions, and about one in five admitted candidates chooses to enroll.

Applicants to Regent University generally present standardized scores that place them near or slightly above national benchmarks. For entering students in 2025, the middle 50% ACT composite score spanned from 19 to 26, while the institutional median SAT score was 1130. Among a comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities, this median SAT score was higher than 75% of peer schools. Test submission rates have declined considerably, with only a small minority of students opting to submit SAT or ACT results. In terms of secondary school academic achievement, incoming classes show strong high school preparation, with roughly half of students entering with high school GPAs at or above 3.75. For prospective applicants, gaining admission typically requires consistent academic performance in secondary school, while test scores near the middle of the national distribution align well with enrolled cohorts.

Degree completion at Regent University is moderately concentrated at the undergraduate level, where the top three fields accounted for 34.1% of bachelor degrees in 2025. The single largest undergraduate program was General Psychology, awarding 116 degrees, followed by General Business Administration and Management and Biblical Studies. However, the largest undergraduate programs are not where the institution's top-ranked offerings lie. The university's recognized program strengths appear at the professional level, where US News ranked the School of Law at 91 in 2026. For undergraduate career outcomes, 2023 earnings data show that graduates in Accounting and Related Services earned the highest median salary one year after graduation at $66,346. International students represented only 0.5% of bachelor degree recipients in 2025. For prospective students, these patterns mean undergraduate studies center heavily on social sciences and business, while professional credentials and law drive regional academic recognition.

Regent University serves an enrollment profile dominated by advanced degree seekers, with more than half of all learners enrolled in graduate programs. In 2025, total enrollment stood at 10,657 students, of which graduate learners made up 52.6%. Across all divisions, women outnumber men, comprising a majority of both undergraduate classes and post-graduate cohorts. Asian and international students account for limited portions of the campus population. Among undergraduates, international learners make up less than one percent of freshmen and continuing students, and Asian students make up a similarly small fraction. In the graduate division, international enrollment numbered 156 students, while Asian graduate students totaled 134. For prospective applicants, these figures illustrate an educational setting largely focused on advanced study, where Asian and international student cohorts remain small.

Regent University maintains an older age profile across both its undergraduate and graduate programs. In 2025, students aged 40 to 49 formed the largest single undergraduate age bracket, accounting for 14.8% of undergraduates, closely followed by those aged 20 to 21 at 13.8%. In the graduate division, mature adults represent the majority of the population: students aged 40 to 49 made up 26.3% of graduate enrollment, while those aged 50 to 64 accounted for 24%. For applicants evaluating campus life, these figures show that the student community is not limited to traditional college-age cohorts, but instead includes a substantial presence of adult learners across all degree levels.

International student enrollment at Regent University is modest and has trended downward in relative terms over recent years. In 2025, international undergraduates comprised only 0.5% of the undergraduate student body, a rate higher than 23% of peer schools in a comparison group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities. At the graduate level, the international share stood at 2.8% in 2025, also reflecting a slight decrease in proportion compared to earlier cycles. Among degree recipients in 2025, foreign students earned a mere fraction of bachelor degrees, with virtually no presence in major undergraduate fields such as Psychology or Biblical Studies. Instead, international representation is concentrated in specialized graduate programs, most visibly in master degrees for Legal Professions and Studies, where international students made up 31.4% of graduates. For international candidates, this indicates that community support and peer cohorts are concentrated primarily within specialized graduate legal curricula rather than standard undergraduate departments.

Prospective students exploring higher education options around Regent University will find several notable institutions within driving distance in Virginia and North Carolina. William & Mary is located 43 kilometers away and ranks 52 among national universities for 2027. Moving northwest into Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University sits 86.4 kilometers away with a national university rank of 156, while University of Richmond is 91.4 kilometers away and holds the 21 position among national liberal arts colleges. Across the state line to the south, East Carolina University is located 105.3 kilometers from Virginia Beach and holds a national university rank of 202. These varied options provide families with a selection of comprehensive research universities and liberal arts environments across the region.

Campus safety records at Regent University reflect a relatively quiet physical environment, with overall reported incident levels remaining low. In 2025, the university registered a crime rate per 1,000 students of 1.0, representing a minor increase from earlier years. Over the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, non-criminal facility concerns and interpersonal disputes formed the primary categories of recorded events. Dormitory fires represented the most frequent occurrence, with 16 incidents reported across those years. Interpersonal and behavioral violations occurred in smaller volumes over the same timeframe, including 5 reported incidents of stalking, alongside a few instances of dating violence, theft, and weapons arrests. For families assessing campus security, these figures demonstrate that violent crime remains infrequent on campus, while residence hall safety and interpersonal reporting represent the main areas documented by institutional monitoring.