Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPrivate nonprofit

Lenoir - Rhyne University

Hickory, North Carolina·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Southeast·lr.edu
6-yr Graduation
48%
-11.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
2,256
peer median 1,738
Avg net price
$20,689
-$960 vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Use this data
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data SetDocuments

About

Lenoir–Rhyne University is a private university in Hickory, North Carolina, United States. It was founded in 1891 and is affiliated with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
3,666
3,666 candidates competed
Admitted
3,101
84.6% acceptance rate
Enrolled
341
11.0% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
48%-11.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
35%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
48%
Full-time retention
76%

Pell equity

18.9pp gap
Pell recipients
38%88 of 234
Non-Pell (all)
57%149 of 262
Subsidized loan, no Pell
45%38 of 85
No Federal Aid
63%111 of 177

Non-Pell students graduate at a 18.9-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 82 Title IV programs, 10 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 72 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
82
Passing
10
12.2% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

82programs
  • Passing10 · 12.2%
  • No Data72 · 87.8%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
2
Watch
0
Safe
8
No data
72

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

10
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+3.3%
$56,560 vs $54,745
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
+8.9%
$49,919 vs $45,831
Human Services General
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+26.5%
$56,364 vs $44,547
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+29.0%
$70,612 vs $54,745
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+33.0%
$72,784 vs $54,745
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
+37.0%
$44,131 vs $32,203
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+66.5%
$53,609 vs $32,203
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+86.3%
$102,015 vs $54,745

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+3.3%
+$1,815

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

9
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
109%
$61,500 debt · $56,560 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
79%
$55,776 debt · $70,612 earn
Human Services General
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
68%
$38,433 debt · $56,364 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
61%
$27,000 debt · $44,131 earn
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
50%
$26,795 debt · $53,609 earn
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
49%
$35,394 debt · $72,784 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
41%
$20,500 debt · $49,919 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
34%
$34,147 debt · $102,015 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1928Next review Dec 2028

Programmatic accreditations · 9

Action history · 22

  1. Nov 2025Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  2. Aug 2025Deny Substantive Change: Other
    American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
  3. Jun 2025Heightened Monitoring or Focused Review
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. May 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels
  5. Dec 2024Voluntary Withdrawal Received
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$18,669
$30–48k$18,768
$48–75k$17,209
$75–110k$21,878
$110k+$25,866

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$20,689
-$960vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $21,649
Federal loans
55.7%
In-state tuition
$31,900
Out-of-state
$31,900

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 666 students received $3.9M in Pell grants, alongside $18.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
666
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$3.9M
$3,851,391 total
Direct Loans
$18.4M
2,079 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.6M
623 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$2.4M
704 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$8.3M
420 loan awards
Parent PLUS$3.6M
233 loan awards
Grad PLUS$1.6M
99 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 660 borrowers who entered repayment, 8 (1.2%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.2%
-1.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
660
Defaulted
8
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
5.5%
2017
7.3%
2018
5.2%
2019
1.2%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Lenoir-Rhyne

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs68
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

567 total completions
01Health Professions
19434.2%
02Business
14024.7%
03Parks/Recreation
8114.3%
04Education
478.3%
05Biological Sciences
213.7%
06Psychology
213.7%
07Social Sciences
183.2%
08Theology
183.2%
09Public Admin
142.5%
10Computer Sciences
132.3%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
2,256
12-mo unduplicated
2,543
Undergraduate
1,589
Graduate
954

Gender split

Men
40%1,010
Women
60%1,533

Race / ethnicity composition

White
60.8%
Black
14.0%
Hispanic
8.8%
Non-resident
7.2%
Two or more
4.1%
Unknown
2.7%
Asian
1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
705
476 M · 229 W
Women athletes
32.5%
Athletic aid
$5.9M
Total student aid
Budget
$12.9M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$3.3M
$2.5M
Recruiting expense
$54K
$34K
Head-coach salaries
$73K
$49K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 12

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
133 M · 106 W
$1.1M
Football
164 M · —
$2.5M
Lacrosse
62 M · 24 W
$1.1M
Soccer
42 M · 40 W
$1.0M
Baseball
61 M · —
$657K
Swimming
25 M · 19 W
$350K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
4.48
10 offenses · 2,230 students

3-year trend

4.162 yrs ago2.971 yr ago4.48Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
27
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
10
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
7
Burglary
2
Fondling
1

By location

10total
  • On campus9
  • Public property1

Includes 4 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
2
Stalking
2 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons01
Drugs14
Liquor114

Residence-hall fires

  • Morgan Hall1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99

Data quality: 1 report was later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
15.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
111

Lenoir-Rhyne vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Lenoir-Rhyne selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectLenoir-Rhyne University
48%—2,256$20,689Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Adrian College
45%72.5%1,765$25,368Baccalaureate
Albright College
51%76.3%1,380$20,024Baccalaureate
Alma College
63%57.0%1,197$20,694Baccalaureate
Anderson University
53%79.3%1,228$25,021Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Asbury University
65%63.4%2,100$21,401Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Augustana University
73%67.7%2,390$23,894Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Bellarmine University
64%86.1%2,886$21,499Doctoral/Professional
Belmont Abbey College
47%74.7%1,388$24,639Baccalaureate
Bethel University
52%97.7%1,167$18,610Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Bluffton University
53%67.2%646$19,943Baccalaureate
Bridgewater College
53%91.7%1,448$17,800Baccalaureate
Buena Vista University
62%77.6%1,890$18,846Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Campbellsville University
42%79.7%10,836$19,341Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Carroll College
69%70.9%1,156$23,960Baccalaureate
Carson-Newman University
53%90.4%2,669$20,251Doctoral/Professional
Carthage College
64%87.1%2,844$26,565Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Catawba College
47%75.2%1,376$17,879Baccalaureate
Cedar Crest College
60%84.1%1,290$18,659Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Cedarville University
73%65.3%6,318$24,468Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Champlain College
65%82.9%3,259$35,860Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Christian Brothers University
55%86.7%1,772$9,854Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Claflin University
52%64.9%1,852$17,800Baccalaureate
Clarke University
56%71.8%962$24,479Doctoral/Professional
College of Charleston
66%60.0%11,926$18,960Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
College of the Ozarks
64%12.0%1,454$6,100Baccalaureate
Columbia College
37%93.9%1,725$18,408Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Concordia College at Moorhead
61%62.6%1,935$24,902Baccalaureate
Concordia University-Nebraska
65%85.7%3,479$23,965Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Covenant College
69%86.5%1,100$26,265Baccalaureate
Delaware Valley University
56%93.2%2,199$28,278Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Dordt University
74%68.5%1,952$25,807Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Eckerd College
66%75.8%1,893$38,071Baccalaureate
Elizabethtown College
76%77.9%2,283$26,598Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Elmira College
65%77.0%786$22,386Baccalaureate
Ferrum College
32%89.0%763$20,082Baccalaureate
Florida Southern College
71%64.4%3,211$28,551Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Franklin College
60%69.8%985$22,855Baccalaureate
Gardner-Webb University
54%77.2%3,104$17,674Doctoral/Professional
Georgetown College
49%91.1%1,345$14,095Baccalaureate
Gordon College
69%69.2%1,595$24,883Baccalaureate
Grove City College
83%72.3%2,383—Baccalaureate
Guilford College
46%80.0%1,180$22,270Baccalaureate
Hartwick College
53%69.6%1,097$31,320Baccalaureate
High Point University
72%75.3%6,331$38,707Baccalaureate
Hiram College
55%93.5%1,061$21,058Baccalaureate
Hollins University
65%68.0%761$20,896Baccalaureate
Hood College
57%77.8%2,101$20,873Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Houghton University
67%88.7%1,200$20,519Baccalaureate
Howard Payne University
28%67.4%809$23,627Baccalaureate
Huntington University
64%75.6%1,776$19,310Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
John Brown University
72%76.1%2,350$20,397Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
King University
49%99.7%1,157$22,347Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
King's College
60%93.1%1,939$23,093Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
LaGrange College
45%62.1%813$20,875Baccalaureate
Lebanon Valley College
65%83.8%2,146$26,979Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Lee University
63%70.5%3,714$18,878Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Lincoln Memorial University
47%62.6%6,081$20,406Doctoral/Professional
Lipscomb University
72%67.7%5,017$24,739Doctoral/Professional
Loras College
68%99.9%1,189$20,716Baccalaureate
Lycoming College
60%74.1%1,012$19,140Baccalaureate
Manchester University
46%71.1%1,276$18,805Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Mars Hill University
45%67.9%1,110$19,910Baccalaureate
Mary Baldwin University
39%87.1%1,772$12,756Doctoral/Professional
Marymount University
54%93.2%4,060$29,137Doctoral/Professional
Maryville College
50%60.9%1,136$19,360Baccalaureate
McKendree University
53%71.7%2,392$24,717Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Meredith College
70%74.2%1,465$22,488Baccalaureate
Messiah University
75%79.0%3,373$26,502Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Moravian University
72%54.2%2,745$30,670Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Mount Mercy University
58%82.5%1,417$20,168Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Mount Saint Mary College
65%88.9%2,491$25,522Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Muskingum University
56%81.8%1,751$19,532Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Northwestern College
66%80.4%1,705$25,907Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Oklahoma Baptist University
52%49.4%1,569$20,958Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Ouachita Baptist University
64%67.5%1,858$22,409Baccalaureate
Presbyterian College
49%68.4%1,095$20,528Baccalaureate
Queens University of Charlotte
61%62.1%1,599$30,857Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Salem College
57%76.7%549$18,277Baccalaureate
Seton Hill University
67%79.5%1,927$22,204Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Shenandoah University
66%77.0%4,454$30,298Doctoral/Professional
Shorter University
37%96.5%1,318$16,646Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Spring Hill College
52%76.6%919$20,449Baccalaureate
St. Francis College
52%84.3%4,567$18,129Baccalaureate
Stevenson University
68%78.9%3,684$26,505Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Taylor University
74%73.5%2,548$24,865Baccalaureate
Texas Lutheran University
54%95.7%1,423$24,654Baccalaureate
Tusculum University
25%72.2%1,103$21,131Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
University of Lynchburg
57%43.0%2,316$22,235Doctoral/Professional
University of Northwestern-St Paul
68%93.5%3,234$27,705Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Wartburg College
64%75.8%1,483$32,908Baccalaureate
Washington College
65%56.9%923$27,898Baccalaureate
Wheeling University
23%63.2%774$20,503Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
William Peace University
45%94.3%722$21,649Baccalaureate
Wilmington College
47%92.4%1,040$24,153Baccalaureate
Wingate University
46%91.1%3,458$20,748Doctoral/Professional
Peer group median59%76.3%1,738$21,649

Institutions like Lenoir-Rhyne

Explore the federal data for institutions in Lenoir-Rhyne's comparison group.

IPEDS

Lenoir-Rhyne Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Email
julie.santiago [at] lr.edu
Phone
828.234.0894
Address
625 7th Ave NE, Hickory, NC 28601

The Office of Institutional Research works to uphold Lenoir-Rhyne's mission and vision by providing consistent and reliable data that informs and supports the university’s strategic plan and decisions.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Julie Santiago, Ed.D.
    Chief Data Officer & Director of Institutional Research

Common Data Set

Lenoir-Rhyne's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Student–faculty ratio
12 to 1
01

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students20
10-19 students50
20-29 students30
30-39 students10
40-49 students5
50-99 students3
100+ students2

58% of classes have under 20 students; 4% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
12 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
78%
Women faculty
55%

Key faculty indicators.

Source publications

Reports & documents (2)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Frequently asked questions about Lenoir-Rhyne University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Lenoir-Rhyne.

What is the graduation rate at Lenoir-Rhyne University?

Lenoir-Rhyne University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 48% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Lenoir-Rhyne University?

Lenoir-Rhyne University reports a total enrollment of 2,256 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Lenoir-Rhyne University?

The average net price at Lenoir-Rhyne University is $20,689 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Lenoir-Rhyne University?

Lenoir-Rhyne University's yield rate is 11.0%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Lenoir-Rhyne University located?

Lenoir-Rhyne University is located in Hickory, North Carolina 28601.

Who runs Institutional Research at Lenoir-Rhyne University?

Lenoir-Rhyne University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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