Admit rate has ranged 43%–64% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Belhaven University carves out a distinct identity as a small, intentionally Christian liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi, where faith and learning are explicitly intertwined. It operates with the selectivity of a regional standout—often cited as one of Mississippi's most selective—and a campus culture built around tight-knit community, a wide array of student activities, and a curriculum that spans from biblical studies to a newly launched data science master's. The experience is defined by personal scale, with nearly all students receiving financial aid and outcomes that show graduates building careers, particularly in business, education, and ministry.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
1,471
In-state tuition
$30,250
Out-of-state tuition
$30,250
Popular Majors
Business (40%), Education (19%), Biblical Studies (13%)
Graduation Rate
49%
Median Earnings (10yr)
$46,440
First-Year Retention Rate
68%
Students Receiving Financial Aid
98%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$46,440
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
3.0×
Median debt at graduation
$26,333
Graduation rate
49%
First-year retention
68%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
46%
Pell (lower-income) share
49%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
40%
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$45,636
Health and Medical Administrative Services$38,289
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$33,993
Social Sciences, General$30,228
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$22,534
Psychology, General
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
93
Summer high
90°F
Winter low
41°F
Annual rain
62.5"
Annual snow
1.4"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
20
Scholarly works
228
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
3.2%
Bottom → top quintile
25%
From bottom quintile
13%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Belhaven University?
Belhaven University's acceptance rate is approximately 50% (Jackson, MS), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Belhaven University?
Admitted students at Belhaven University typically score 1010–1298 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Belhaven University cost?
At Belhaven University, the average net price (after aid) is about $15,676 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Belhaven University?
Belhaven University enrolls approximately 1,471 undergraduate students.
Where is Belhaven University located?
Belhaven University is located in Jackson, MS.
Admissions
Belhaven positions itself as a selective institution within its region, with sources historically calling it "Mississippi's Most Selective College." The admissions process evaluates a cohort of roughly 2,600 applicants for a first-year class. While the university offers an Early Action option with a December 15 notification deadline and a $1,500 Early Acceptance Scholarship incentive, the provided sources do not specify a separate Early Decision program or its associated . For the middle 50% of admitted students who submit scores, standardized test ranges are a key benchmark. The sources cite an ACT Composite range of 19–24 and an SAT range between 1010–1300. A student's expressed interest in Belhaven—through visits, contacts, etc.—is a factor colleges may consider, but the provided sources do not confirm Belhaven's specific policy on 'demonstrated interest.'
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$17,242
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Belhaven structures its academic offerings around a Christ-centered worldview, offering a comprehensive range of degrees from associate to doctoral levels, including online programs. The undergraduate catalog is broad, featuring majors in Actuarial Science, Biblical Studies, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, and Education, among many others. A review of popular majors shows a strong focus on professional and faith-based fields: Business Administration and Management is the most popular (40% of graduates), followed by General Education (19%), and Bible/Biblical Studies (13%). The university has earned national recognition for academic excellence from organizations like Colleges of Distinction. A defining feature praised by students is the personalized experience facilitated by small class sizes. In 2024, Belhaven expanded its graduate offerings by launching a new Master's in Data Science, responding to high market demand.
Life on Belhaven's Jackson campus is marketed as a "complete haven for growth," emphasizing holistic development—intellectual, social, and spiritual. With a total undergraduate enrollment of about 1,600 students, the scale fosters a famously tight-knit community. Students describe a balanced environment of "great academics and tightly-knit community." The university facilitates this through a busy roster of student activities, including academic clubs, student ministries, and intramural sports. Campus spaces are designed to be flexible for both study and social gathering, aiming to be a place "for cultures to cross." This active, involved campus life is a cornerstone of the Belhaven experience, with the university stating that 94% of alumni agree their degree contributed to their spiritual growth.
Belhaven tracks post-graduation success through metrics like its "career outcomes rate," which measures the percentage of students employed or in graduate school within one year of graduation. The university has received national recognition for improving the earnings and employability of its graduates relative to peers. Longitudinal earnings data shows progression: one source cites average earnings of $35,100 six years after enrollment, rising to $37,900 after nine years. Another reports a median salary of $38,987 six years after enrollment. The university's retention rate for first-year students is reported at 68%. According to a Facebook post from the university, its career outcomes rate indicates a high level of post-graduate employment or continued education.
Belhaven promotes an affordable private education through a combination of competitive tuition and widespread financial aid. A striking 98% of full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid, which can include federal grants, loans, and institutional scholarships. The university provides a Calculator for families to estimate their actual cost after aid. While the university offers need-based financial aid that can include federal loans, the provided sources do not indicate that Belhaven has a "no-loan" policy where loans are replaced with grants for low-income students. Instead, affordability is driven by a high rate of aid participation and institutional scholarships, which the university states are designed to make a "quality education affordable."
Belhaven University stands out for its unwavering fusion of faith and learning within a small, community-focused environment in the South. It’s not a college that happens to be Christian; its Christian identity is the explicit foundation of its academic and student life programming, from required biblical studies courses to campus ministries. This creates a specific type of student experience—one where spiritual growth is measured and valued alongside academic achievement. Academically, it pairs this faith-based core with practical, career-oriented majors in business, education, and health sciences, and is agile enough to add high-demand graduate programs like data science. Its claim as one of Mississippi's most selective colleges gives it a notable position in the regional landscape, attracting students seeking a rigorous, personal, and purpose-driven education. The result is a university that knows its niche and serves it deliberately, fostering close relationships and preparing graduates for careers and lives aligned with its values.
Belhaven University seal · sourceCampus Operations: Belhaven University | Jackson, MS · sourceVirtual Tour: Belhaven University | Jackson, MS · sourceVirtual Tour: Belhaven University | Jackson, MS · source
