Vanderbilt University
Private nonprofit four-year university in Nashville, TN that costs an average of $15,497 a year after financial aid, admits 5.9% of applicants and graduates 93% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$15,497
Acceptance rate
5.9%
Graduation rate
93%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$99,080
Private nonprofitLarge city7,208 undergraduates
Cost of Vanderbilt University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $94,142 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $71,226 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $23,048 |
| Books and supplies | $1,100 |
| Average net price after aid | $15,497 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $3,637 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $1,908 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $5,651 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $11,284 |
| $110,001+ | $42,583 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Vanderbilt University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 5.9% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,549 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 730–770 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 770–800 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 34–35 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 93% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 96% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $83,121 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $99,080 |
| Rank in Tennessee (earnings) | 1st of 42 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $15,000 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $170 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 25% |
| Students with federal loans | 10% |
Majors and programs at Vanderbilt University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (53)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 441 | $127,841 | $15,000 |
| Mathematics | 305 | $120,462 | $18,000 |
| Economics | 571 | $90,777 | $13,875 |
| Chemical Engineering | 59 | $84,790 | — |
| Engineering Science | 72 | $82,608 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 95 | $81,830 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 107 | $78,855 | — |
| Social Sciences | 616 | $74,534 | $15,000 |
| Political Science and Government | 244 | $60,034 | $14,788 |
| History | 104 | $56,304 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 53 | $52,930 | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 89 | $52,522 | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 537 | $48,816 | $14,620 |
| English Language and Literature | 95 | $42,909 | — |
| Psychology | 211 | $41,513 | $11,250 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 210 | $41,097 | $13,000 |
| Music | 111 | $19,017 | $8,207 |
| Anthropology | 28 | — | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 22 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 49 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 152 | — | $17,125 |
| Biology | 38 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 54 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 33 | — | — |
| Classical and Ancient Studies | 16 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 122 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 46 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 9 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 16 | — | — |
| Education | 28 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 32 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 20 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 25 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 29 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 41 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 31 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 38 | — | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 63 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 38 | — | — |
| Physics | 30 | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 53 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 8 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 80 | — | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 54 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Sociology | 63 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 24 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 23 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 20 | — | — |
Master's degree programs (76)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 282 | $167,246 | $67,950 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 34 | $157,640 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 245 | $155,565 | $68,087 |
| Applied Mathematics | 292 | $150,282 | $61,370 |
| Engineering | 69 | $129,720 | $51,250 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 752 | $112,046 | $107,410 |
| Public Health | 101 | $108,218 | $67,512 |
| Computational Science | 75 | $89,854 | — |
| Marketing | 40 | $84,154 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 88 | $76,297 | $60,750 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 70 | $74,629 | $73,215 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 43 | $69,969 | $41,000 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 109 | $63,011 | $41,000 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 45 | $62,443 | $69,908 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 109 | $60,124 | $35,724 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 86 | $56,681 | $39,840 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 1 | $56,559 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 79 | $54,570 | $41,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 30 | $54,162 | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 33 | $47,914 | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 80 | $47,518 | $41,000 |
| Anthropology | 2 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 5 | — | — |
| Biology | 33 | — | $95,495 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 23 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 10 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 25 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 73 | — | $36,837 |
| Cognitive Science | — | — | — |
| Computer Science | 159 | — | $45,096 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 16 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Economics | 62 | — | — |
| Education | 4 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 43 | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 17 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 4 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 5 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 3 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 8 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 5 | — | — |
| Genetics | 1 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 6 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| History | 22 | — | — |
| International and Comparative Education | — | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 67 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 13 | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | — | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 4 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | 23 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 12 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 15 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 8 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 27 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 1 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 1 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 3 | — | — |
| Physics | 6 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 12 | — | — |
| Psychology | 15 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 126 | — | $59,126 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 15 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 15 | — | — |
| Sociology | 4 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 51 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (48)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 278 | $124,602 | $92,250 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 41 | $103,282 | $64,661 |
| Chemistry | 33 | $102,047 | — |
| Anthropology | 5 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 7 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 32 | — | — |
| Biology | 21 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 11 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 40 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 22 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 18 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 3 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 2 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 9 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 33 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Economics | 22 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 7 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 25 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 8 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Genetics | 11 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 6 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 5 | — | — |
| History | 12 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 10 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 12 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 29 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 24 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 32 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 13 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 6 | — | — |
| Physics | 10 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 37 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 19 | — | — |
| Psychology | 31 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 12 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 17 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 7 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 11 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Sociology | 6 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 18 | — | — |
| Systems Science and Theory | 8 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 18 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (7)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 367 | $194,248 | $162,719 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 124 | $139,575 | $96,482 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 18 | $87,821 | — |
| Medicine | 199 | $65,367 | $184,224 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 31 | — | — |
| Public Health | 1 | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 64 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 19 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 56 | — | — |
Similar colleges in Tennessee
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont University | Nashville | $32,648 | 95% | $62,789 |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville | $23,178 | 68% | $62,332 |
| Southern Adventist University | Collegedale | $25,979 | 66% | $58,780 |
| Lee University | Cleveland | $21,034 | 71% | $47,741 |
| Cumberland University | Lebanon | $15,965 | 67% | $66,885 |
| Rhodes College | Memphis | $28,776 | 50% | $79,506 |
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Nashville | $19,828 | 69% | $56,862 |
| The University of the South | Sewanee | $31,931 | 57% | $72,175 |
About Vanderbilt University
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Nashville, TN |
| Setting | Large city |
| Undergraduates | 7,208 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 8 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Website | vanderbilt.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Vanderbilt University's acceptance rate?
Vanderbilt University admits 5.9% of applicants, making it highly selective. Admitted students average 1,549 on the SAT.
How much does Vanderbilt University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $94,142 a year (tuition and fees: $71,226). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $15,497 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $3,637.
How much do Vanderbilt University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $99,080 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 1st of 42 similar colleges in Tennessee. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer science ($127,841 a year after graduation).
What is Vanderbilt University's graduation rate?
93% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 96% of first-year students return for a second year.