Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsPrivate nonprofit

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Great Lakes·mckendree.edu
6-yr Graduation
53%
-6.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Total enrollment
2,392
peer median 1,317
Avg net price
$24,717
+$2.2k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
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About

McKendree University (McK), formerly McKendree College, is a private university in Lebanon, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1828 as the "Lebanon Seminary", it is the oldest college or university in Illinois. The school was renamed McKendree University beginning in the 2007–08 academic year. McKendree enrolls approximately 1,960 students representing 25 countries and 29 states. In the undergraduate program, on average, there are 51% females and 49% males. The institution remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

Admissions & acceptance rate

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

Applied
3,066
3,066 candidates competed
Admitted
2,199
71.7% acceptance rate
Enrolled
413
18.8% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

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

Overall completion
53%-6.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
4-year graduation
42%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
53%
Full-time retention
67%

Pell equity

25.8pp gap
Pell recipients
36%37 of 103
Non-Pell (all)
62%131 of 212
Subsidized loan, no Pell
58%38 of 66
No Federal Aid
64%93 of 146

Non-Pell students graduate at a 25.8-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.

Of 63 Title IV programs, 16 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 47 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
63
Passing
16
25.4% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

63programs
  • Passing16 · 25.4%
  • No Data47 · 74.6%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
0
Safe
15
No data
47

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.

16
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
+8.9%
$37,892 vs $34,808
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
+26.2%
$58,566 vs $46,391
Educational Administration and Supervision
Master's Degree · Education
+33.6%
$61,988 vs $46,391
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+42.2%
$89,945 vs $63,250
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+50.6%
$52,428 vs $34,808
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+51.6%
$52,784 vs $34,808
Curriculum and Instruction
Master's Degree · Education
+53.5%
$71,192 vs $46,391
Biopsychology
Bachelor Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
+66.8%
$58,057 vs $34,808

Debt vs earnings

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

15
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
61%
$23,250 debt · $37,892 earn
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
48%
$25,000 debt · $52,428 earn
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
47%
$25,000 debt · $52,784 earn
Human Resources Management and Services
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
41%
$26,107 debt · $63,519 earn
Biopsychology
Bachelor Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
41%
$23,500 debt · $58,057 earn
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
39%
$23,250 debt · $59,238 earn
Educational Administration and Supervision
Master's Degree · Education
38%
$23,330 debt · $61,988 earn
Business Administration Management and Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
37%
$22,494 debt · $61,173 earn

Accreditation status & history

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

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1970Next review Aug 2029

Programmatic accreditations · 5

Action history · 4

  1. Feb 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  2. Feb 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  3. Feb 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels
  4. Jan 2019Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$21,928
$30–48k$21,432
$48–75k$21,041
$75–110k$28,333
$110k+$29,066

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

Avg net price (private)
$24,717
+$2,177vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs median $22,540
Federal loans
41.8%
In-state tuition
$34,740
Out-of-state
$34,740

Federal aid volume & trends

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

In AY 2024–25, 752 students received $4.3M in Pell grants, alongside $11.9M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
752
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$4.3M
$4,280,765 total
Direct Loans
$11.9M
1,756 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
20
0k
21
0k
22
1k
23
1k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.2M
589 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$2.4M
651 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$3.4M
257 loan awards
Parent PLUS$3.9M
259 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.

Of 643 borrowers who entered repayment, 14 (2.1%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
2.1%
-0.2pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
643
Defaulted
14
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
6.6%
2017
6.9%
2018
4.5%
2019
2.1%
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 McKendree

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs62
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

657 total completions
01Education
19129.1%
02Business
17827.1%
03Health Professions
11918.1%
04Parks/Recreation
558.4%
05Psychology
395.9%
06Social Sciences
375.6%
07Communication
142.1%
08Biological Sciences
101.5%
09Mathematics
71.1%
10Computer Sciences
71.1%

Enrollment trends & demographics

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

Fall total
2,392
12-mo unduplicated
2,852
Undergraduate
1,953
Graduate
899

Gender split

Men
40%1,133
Women
60%1,719

Race / ethnicity composition

White
53.7%
Unknown
16.4%
Non-resident
10.2%
Black
9.1%
Two or more
4.9%
Hispanic
4.7%
Asian
0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

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

Athletes
1,055
654 M · 401 W
Women athletes
38.0%
Athletic aid
$7.7M
Total student aid
Budget
$17.8M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$4.3M
$3.3M
Recruiting expense
$96K
$101K
Head-coach salaries
$48K
$44K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 18

Football
163 M ·
$2.3M
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
71 M · 69 W
$1.0M
Other Sports
92 M · 47 W
$1.2M
Wrestling
48 M · 47 W
$1.3M
Baseball
86 M ·
$772K
Soccer
38 M · 37 W
$1.5M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

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

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.96
2 offenses · 2,075 students

3-year trend

5.622 yrs ago3.061 yr ago0.96Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
19
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
4
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
3
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
5

Criminal offenses by type

Arson
1
Burglary
1

By location

2total
  • On campus2

Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
1
Dating violence
0
Stalking
1 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Race1
  • Disability1
  • National origin1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs048
Liquor0178

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
16.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
72

McKendree vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions McKendree selected for federal comparison reporting.

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
SubjectMcKendree University
53%2,392$24,717Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
51%85.7%1,317$22,540Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
52%97.7%1,167$18,610Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
53%67.2%646$19,943Baccalaureate
23%33.8%658$22,451Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
74%70.9%3,681$22,992Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
71%66.8%3,138$15,193Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
73%65.3%6,318$24,468Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
31%47.5%568$26,337Baccalaureate
19%40.7%468$21,697Baccalaureate
70%73.6%3,997$24,185Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
60%69.8%985$22,855Baccalaureate
69%82.1%2,304$19,932Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
40%97.5%1,104$19,533Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
64%78.2%942$18,298Baccalaureate
60%47.6%960$18,558Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
42%86.3%2,813$24,212Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
32%74.1%964$23,206Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
46%71.1%1,276$18,805Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
67%95.5%3,486$24,018Doctoral/Professional
61%79.3%1,109$21,083Baccalaureate
55%66.7%1,586$21,989Baccalaureate
68%84.1%1,671$22,421Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
41%94.2%1,209$20,079Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
72%74.4%3,140$24,478Baccalaureate
68%84.5%2,332$19,237Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
69%76.0%1,601$25,292Baccalaureate
46%72.4%1,159$31,872Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
72%85.7%2,032$26,172Baccalaureate
74%73.5%2,548$24,865Baccalaureate
64%85.5%4,646$25,355Baccalaureate
58%84.9%854$19,125Baccalaureate
59%78.2%2,461$23,280Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
12%40.5%838$5,567Baccalaureate
47%92.4%1,040$24,153Baccalaureate
Peer group median59%75.2%1,317$22,540

Institutions like McKendree

Explore the federal data for institutions in McKendree's comparison group.

McKendree Institutional Research office

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

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Email
institutional_research_office [at] mckendree.edu
Phone
1-800-232-7228
Address
701 College Road, Lebanon, Illinois 62254

The mission of McKendree University Institutional Research Office is to support the university's mission of providing a high quality educational experience to outstanding students through the collection, organization, analysis, and dissemination of data for decision-making, assessment, management, and planning within the university.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Amanda McCubbins
    Institutional Research Analyst

Reports & documents (4)

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

Frequently asked questions about McKendree University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about McKendree.

What is the graduation rate at McKendree University?

McKendree University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 53% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend McKendree University?

McKendree University reports a total enrollment of 2,392 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at McKendree University?

The average net price at McKendree University is $24,717 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at McKendree University?

McKendree University's yield rate is 18.8%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is McKendree University located?

McKendree University is located in Lebanon, Illinois 62254-1291.

Who runs Institutional Research at McKendree University?

McKendree 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.
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.
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.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
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.
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.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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