Cumberland University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts university founded in 1842 and located in Lebanon, Tennessee, just 25 miles east of Nashville. Ranked #103 among Regional Universities South by U.S. News & World Report, Cumberland is one of Tennessee's oldest institutions of higher learning and carries a storied academic legacy that includes the historic Cumberland School of Law. Today the university serves approximately 2,700 students from 32 states and 42 countries through programs in business, education, humanities, nursing, social sciences, computer science, and the performing arts. Students benefit directly from Cumberland's proximity to Nashville's booming economy — a national hub for healthcare, music, finance, and technology — with internship and career pathways connecting to a broad network of regional and national employers. The university's Phoenix athletic teams compete in the NAIA Mid-South Conference in football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and more, embodying the spirit of the Phoenix — rising, resilient, and enduring. Cumberland's impressive 10-year median graduate earnings of $57,687 reflect strong professional outcomes particularly in nursing, business, and public administration. The university's mission emphasizes ethical leadership, civic engagement, and lifelong learning in a community that combines small-college intimacy with the career opportunities of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in the American South.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$28540
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $27,840
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
