Lipscomb University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
San Angelo, Tennessee · Public · Open access · CDS 2023-2024
Lipscomb University is a public university in San Angelo, Tennessee that admits about 79% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $12,915 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Psychology, General and Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 41% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 1.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Lipscomb University is a public institution located in San Angelo, Tennessee. For the most recent reporting cycle, Lipscomb University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 79%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1049 and an ACT composite around 21. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,915 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Lipscomb University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Lipscomb University?
Lipscomb University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Lipscomb University weight in admissions?
Lipscomb University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2023-2024). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores Lipscomb University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 450–560, with an EBRW midpoint near 535. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 17–24. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 920 |
| 50th percentile | 1020 |
| 75th percentile | 1140 |
| % submitting SAT | 46% |
| 25th percentile | 17 |
| 50th percentile | 21 |
| 75th percentile | 24 |
| % submitting ACT | 31% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Recommended
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 10.81% |
| Top 25% of class | 35% |
| Top 50% of class | 68.68% |
| % submitting class rank | 84.42% |
How much does Lipscomb University actually cost?
Published tuition is $8,319 for in-state students and $18,399 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $11,800 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $12,915 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $5,619 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $18,219 |
| Room and board | $10,050 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $12,915 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Lipscomb University
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from Lipscomb University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at Lipscomb University
The most popular undergraduate programs at Lipscomb University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Psychology, General and Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. Across all programs, Lipscomb University confers roughly 617 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other program report a median income of about $45,627 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 153 | $45,627 |
| Psychology, General | 82 | $45,740 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 76 | $53,423 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 72 | $81,977 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 65 | $55,115 |
| Social Work | 62 | $50,839 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 58 | — |
| Biology, General | 49 | $62,853 |
Is Lipscomb University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Lipscomb University disclosed 10 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 2 violent offenses and 7 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at Lipscomb University?
About 34% of undergraduates at Lipscomb University live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Tennessee parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Lipscomb University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Lipscomb University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Lipscomb University
What GPA do I need for Lipscomb University?
Lipscomb University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Lipscomb University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 450–560, with an EBRW midpoint near 535. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 17–24.
How much does Lipscomb University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Lipscomb University after grants and scholarships is $12,915 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Lipscomb University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Lipscomb University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at Lipscomb University?
Lipscomb University accepts about 79% of applicants out of roughly 4,660 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is Lipscomb University test-optional?
Yes. Lipscomb University is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Lipscomb University?
About 41% of students at Lipscomb University graduate within six years. 72% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Lipscomb University look for in applicants?
Lipscomb University rates class rank and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Lipscomb University a public or private school, and where is it located?
Lipscomb University is a public institution located in San Angelo, Tennessee.
What are the most popular majors at Lipscomb University?
The largest undergraduate majors at Lipscomb University by annual graduates are Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Psychology, General and Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. The school awards about 617 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Lipscomb University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Lipscomb University reported 10 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 1.8 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Lipscomb University?
At Lipscomb University, 34% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2023-2024 Common Data Set submitted by Lipscomb University, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.