UnisHub University Compass

Vanderbilt University (VU) : Overview, Courses, Scholarships & Rankings

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About Vanderbilt University

Under a canopy of old oaks in the heart of Nashville, this campus is known for pairing rigorous research with close-knit teaching across the humanities, social sciences, engineering, education, music, and health fields. Students tap light-filled libraries, buzzing labs and studios, a thoughtful residential college system, and steady support services from advising and tutoring to counseling and wellness.

Life feels lively yet grounded. A first-year commons knits friendships fast, clubs spill onto green quads, and the rec center, trails, and intramurals keep weekends busy. Career prep has a practical streak, with coaching, recruiting, and alumni mentoring that connects right into the city's healthcare corridors, music business, startups, and public service. Traditions include a spring concert on the lawn, game-day energy, and that familiar anchor. Notable alumni include MLB pitcher David Price and NFL quarterback Jay Cutler.

Key Institutional Details

Contact & Profile

Location
2101 West End Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee, 37240, USA
Unit ID
221999

Academic & Institutional

Control
Private non-profit institution (tuition + donations)
Accreditation
SACSCOC
Length of Study
Programs under 2 years (e.g. certificate or diploma)
Calendar System
Semester system (two main terms per year)
Award Levels
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (R)
Doctorate (P)
Campus Setting
Located in a large city (population of 250,000 or more)
Carnegie Classification
Doctoral - R1 (Very High Research)
Tuition & Fees
In-State
$63,946
Tuition $61,618 + Fee $2,328
Out-of-State
$63,946
Tuition $61,618 + Fee $2,328
Student Profile
Total Students 13,456
Undergraduate 7,143
Graduate/Other 6,313
Male: 5,971 Female: 7,485
Applications
Total Applicants 45,313
Admitted 2,844
Enrolled 1,622
Acceptance: 6.3% Yield: 57%
Staff
Total Staff 6,654
Full-time 6,025
Part-time 629
Full-time: 90.5% Part-time: 9.5%

Academic Programs & Fields of Study

Vanderbilt University (VU) offers 156 degree programs across 24 major academic fields, graduating approximately 5,254 students annually. The most popular fields by graduate volume are Social Sciences (7 programs, 827 graduates), Health (24 programs, 706 graduates), Business (10 programs, 472 graduates), Interdisciplinary (7 programs, 461 graduates) and Biological Sciences (19 programs, 371 graduates). Explore program details, award levels, and graduate demographics below.

Social Sciences (7 programs, 827 graduates)
Sociology, Anthropology and Political Science Studies
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 316
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
45.0603
Social Sciences 315
Bachelor's
Master's
45.0101
Political Science and Government 129
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
45.1001
Sociology 36
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
45.1101
Anthropology 16
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
45.0201
Research and Quantitative Methods 13
Master's
Doctorate (R)
45.0102
Applied Economics 2
Doctorate (R)
45.0602
Health (24 programs, 706 graduates)
Healthcare Professions, Medical Sciences and Clinical Practice
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Medicine 95
Doctorate (P)
51.1201
Family Practice Nursing 71
Master's
Post-Master's
51.3805
Pediatric Nursing 62
Master's
Post-Master's
51.3809
Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 60
Master's
Post-Master's
51.3810
Nursing Practice 55
Doctorate (P)
51.3818
Critical Care Nursing 53
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (P)
51.3814
Women's Health Nursing 33
Master's
51.3822
Health Services Administration 32
Master's
51.2211
Adult Health Nursing 31
Master's
Post-Master's
51.3803
Registered Nursing 30
Master's
51.3801
Speech-Language Pathology 25
Master's
51.0203
Nurse Midwifery 25
Master's
51.3807
Nursing Science 25
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (R)
51.3808
Emergency Room and Trauma Nursing 20
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (P)
51.3816
Maternal and Child Health Nursing 17
Master's
Post-Master's
51.3806
Medical Science 16
Master's
51.1401
Health Administration and Management 11
Master's
51.0701
Audiology 10
Doctorate (P)
51.0202
Nursing Education 10
Post-Master's
51.3203
Genetic Counseling 7
Master's
51.1509
Medical Informatics 6
Master's
51.2706
Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology 5
Master's
Doctorate (R)
51.0204
Nursing Administration 4
Master's
51.3802
Health Physics 3
Master's
Doctorate (P)
51.2205
Business (10 programs, 472 graduates)
Business Administration, Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Organizational Leadership 139
Doctorate (R)
52.0213
Business Administration and Management 79
Master's
52.0299
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 78
Master's
52.1399
Business Administration and Management 48
Master's
52.0201
Management Science 41
Master's
52.1301
Accounting 35
Master's
52.0301
Organizational Behavior 32
Master's
52.1003
Marketing Management 11
Master's
52.1401
Accounting and Finance 7
Master's
52.0304
Finance, General 2
Master's
52.0801
Interdisciplinary (7 programs, 461 graduates)
Cross-Disciplinary Studies and Integrated Research Programs
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Multi- and Interdisciplinary Studies 284
Bachelor's
Master's
30.9999
Cognitive Science 72
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
30.2501
Computational Science 39
Master's
30.3001
Science, Technology, and Society 33
Bachelor's
30.1501
Sustainability Studies 18
Bachelor's
30.3301
Systems Science and Theory 8
Doctorate (R)
30.0601
Classical and Ancient Studies 7
Bachelor's
30.2202
Biological Sciences (19 programs, 371 graduates)
Life Sciences, Biotechnology and Biomedical Research
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Neuroscience 112
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
26.1501
Molecular Biology 49
Bachelor's
26.0204
Biochemistry 35
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.0202
Biology and Biological Sciences 34
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
26.0101
Biomedical Sciences 18
Master's
26.0102
Cell and Molecular Biology 15
Doctorate (R)
26.0406
Epidemiology 14
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.1309
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 13
Doctorate (P)
26.9999
Microbiology 12
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.0502
Biostatistics 11
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.1102
Genetics and Medical Genetics 8
Doctorate (R)
26.0806
Molecular Physiology 8
Doctorate (R)
26.0902
Oncology and Cancer Biology 8
Doctorate (R)
26.0911
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 8
Bachelor's
26.1310
Bioinformatics 7
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.1103
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 6
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.0210
Pathology and Experimental Pathology 5
Doctorate (R)
26.0910
Pharmacology 5
Doctorate (R)
26.1001
Infectious Disease and Global Health 3
Master's
26.0509
Computer & IT (1 programs, 351 graduates)
Computer Science, Information Technology and Cybersecurity
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Computer Science 351
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
11.0701
Engineering (11 programs, 350 graduates)
Engineering Sciences and Applied Technology Solutions
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Biomedical Engineering 78
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0501
Mechanical Engineering 58
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.1901
Engineering Science 42
Bachelor's
14.1301
Chemical Engineering 38
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0701
General Engineering 36
Master's
14.0101
Civil Engineering 31
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0801
Electrical and Computer Engineering 26
Bachelor's
Master's
14.4701
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 24
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.1001
Computer Engineering 7
Bachelor's
14.0901
Environmental Health Engineering 6
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.1401
Engineering 4
Master's
14.9999
Education (16 programs, 311 graduates)
Educational Sciences, Teaching Methods and Pedagogy
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Special Education Teaching 70
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
13.1001
Educational Leadership and Administration 31
Master's
Doctorate (R)
13.0401
Educational Evaluation and Research 29
Master's
Doctorate (R)
13.0601
Secondary Education and Teaching 28
Bachelor's
Master's
13.1205
Higher Education Administration 22
Master's
Doctorate (R)
13.0406
English as a Second Language (ESL) Teaching 19
Master's
13.1401
Urban Education and Leadership 18
Master's
13.0410
Music Teacher Education 17
Bachelor's
Master's
13.1312
General Education 16
Bachelor's
Master's
13.0101
Elementary Education 12
Bachelor's
Master's
13.1202
Multiple Level Teacher Education 12
Bachelor's
13.1206
Teacher Education and Professional Development 11
Master's
Doctorate (R)
13.1299
Reading Teacher Education 10
Master's
13.1315
Curriculum and Instruction 8
Master's
13.0301
Education of Individuals with Hearing Impairments 4
Master's
13.1003
Foreign Language Teacher Education 4
Bachelor's
Master's
13.1306
Mathematics (2 programs, 302 graduates)
Mathematical Sciences, Statistics and Computational Analysis
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Mathematics 156
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
27.0101
Financial Mathematics 146
Master's
27.0305
Psychology (8 programs, 236 graduates)
Psychological Sciences, Mental Health and Behavioral Studies
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
General Psychology 117
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
42.0101
Developmental and Child Psychology 84
Bachelor's
Master's
42.2703
Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology 12
Master's
42.2708
Industrial-Organizational Psychology 8
Master's
42.2804
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics 5
Master's
Doctorate (R)
42.2701
Community Psychology 4
Master's
42.2802
Applied Behavior Analysis 4
Master's
42.2814
Experimental Psychology 2
Doctorate (R)
42.2799

Admission Requirements & Test Scores

Comprehensive overview of admission criteria, standardized test score ranges, and application requirements for prospective students at Vanderbilt University (VU).

Application Requirements

Secondary School GPA
Required
Secondary School Record
Required
College Preparatory Program
Required
Recommendations
Required
Formal Demonstration of Competencies
Neither required nor recommended
English Proficiency Test (TOEFL)
Required
Personal Statement or Essay
Required
Standardized Test Scores
SAT Scores
The SAT is a standardized college admission test measuring reading, writing, and math skills. Scores range from 400-1600 (combined Evidence-Based Reading & Writing + Math sections).
Composite Score Range
1510 - 1560
25th-75th percentile
Evidence-Based Reading & Writing 740 - 770
Median: 760
Math 770 - 790
Median: 780
ACT Scores
The ACT is a standardized test for college admissions assessing English, math, reading, and science reasoning. Scores range from 1-36 (composite of all sections).
Composite Score Range
34 - 35
25th-75th percentile
English 35 - 36
Median: 35
Math 32 - 35
Median: 34

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Test score ranges represent the middle 50% of admitted students (25th-75th percentile). Requirements may vary by program.

Tuition, Fees & Estimated Costs

Overview of tuition rates, housing, and other annual education expenses for undergraduate and graduate students

Estimated Total Cost
(In-state)
$89,590
Estimated Total Cost
(Out-state)
$89,590
In-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$63,946
Tuition and fees for students residing in-state
Out-of-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$63,946
Tuition and fees for non-resident students
Room & Board
$21,054 (on-campus)
Housing and meal plan expenses
Books & Supplies
$1,194
Average yearly cost of books and study materials
Other Expenses
$3,396 (on-campus)
Miscellaneous personal and institutional expenses
Other Expenses (with family)
N/A
Estimated cost for students living with family
Graduate In-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$56,128
Graduate tuition rates for in-state students
Graduate Out-of-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$56,128
Graduate tuition rates for non-resident students

Financial Aid & Student Support

Summary of scholarships, grants, student loans, and financial aid statistics for undergraduate students

23%
FTFT Aid Recipients
Avg. Grant
$57,723
Avg. Loan
$11,345
Avg. Federal Loan
$5,213
Additional
Students with Any Grant
1,064
Students who received any type of grant aid
Students with Any Loan
160
Students who received any type of loan-based aid
Students with Federal Grant
351
Students who received a federal grant
Avg. Institutional Grant
$55,160
Average amount of institutional grant awarded

Student Success Metrics

Graduation rates and post-graduation earnings to help assess student outcomes and long-term value of education.

93%
Graduation Rate
Percentage of students who successfully graduate from the institution
96%
First-Year Retention Rate
Percentage of first-year students who continue for a second year
Median Earnings Over Time
$59,554 – $138,460
Salary Range (25th–75th Percentile, 10 Years)
$59,554 (25th %) $138,460 (75th %)
*Median Salary After 10 Years: $91,565
Median Salary After 6 Years
$73,909
Average annual earnings of former students six years after starting college.
Median Salary After 10 Years
$91,565
Average annual earnings of former students ten years after starting college.

Loan Burden & Repayment Outcomes

Breakdown of loan repayment rates and student debt levels by income and dependency status.

3-Year Loan Repayment Rate
83.6%
Share of borrowers who repaid loans within 3 years
Repayment Rate (Graduates Only)
86.0%
Repayment rate among students who completed their program
Median Student Loan Debt
$14,000
Median federal loan debt of undergraduate completers at time of graduation.
Repayment by Income
Low 80.7%
Middle 79.5%
High 86.0%
Repayment by Dependency
Dependent 84.4%
Independent 61.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Vanderbilt University (VU)

How much does it cost to attend Vanderbilt University (VU)?

The annual tuition at Vanderbilt University (VU) is $63,946 for in-state students. When including room and board, books, and other expenses, the total estimated cost is approximately $89,590 for in-state students. Additional costs include room and board $21,054 (on-campus) and books and supplies $1,194.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2022-2023 academic year. Tuition and cost estimates are approximate and may not include all fees, personal expenses, or transportation costs.

What academic programs and degree levels does Vanderbilt University offer?

Vanderbilt University (VU) offers 156 academic programs across 24 major fields of study, with available degree levels: Bachelor's, Master's, Post-Master's, Doctorate (Research), Doctorate (Professional).

Most popular program areas include:

  • Sociology, Anthropology and Political Science Studies (7 programs)
  • Healthcare Professions, Medical Sciences and Clinical Practice (24 programs)
  • Business Administration, Marketing and Entrepreneurship (10 programs)
  • Cross-Disciplinary Studies and Integrated Research Programs (7 programs)
  • Life Sciences, Biotechnology and Biomedical Research (19 programs)

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated, not all offered programs.

What is the acceptance rate for Vanderbilt University?

Vanderbilt University (VU) has an 6.3% acceptance rate and a 57% yield rate, making it highly selective.

Admission statistics breakdown:

  • Total applicants: 45,313
  • Students admitted: 2,844
  • Students enrolled: 1,622

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Admission statistics may vary by program and application cycle.

What financial aid and scholarships are available at Vanderbilt University?

Vanderbilt University (VU) provides financial aid to 23% of first-time, full-time students, with average grants of $57,723 and average loans of $11,345.

Average financial aid amounts by type:

  • Pell grants: $5,448
  • State/Local grants: $6,574
  • Institutional grants: $55,160
  • Federal loans: $5,213

The university supports 1,064 students with grants and 160 students with loans annually.

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Financial aid amounts and percentages may vary by program, enrollment status, and individual circumstances.

What is the average salary for Vanderbilt University graduates?

Vanderbilt University (VU) graduates earn a median salary of $73,909 after 6 years and $91,565 after 10 years.

The salary range 10 years after graduation spans from $59,554 (25th percentile) to $138,460 (75th percentile), with top earners reaching $144,000 (90th percentile).

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Salary data reflects graduates who received federal financial aid (approximately 60% of all graduates). Actual earnings may vary significantly based on program, location, and individual circumstances.

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