Nashville, TNprivate nonprofitbelmont.edu
Admit rate has ranged 83%–96% 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.
Belmont University is a mid-sized private university in Nashville that punches above its weight in music business education and health sciences, with an unusually strong 97% career outcomes rate. Its 8,700 undergraduates enjoy a lively campus culture steeped in Nashville's music scene, though the school's 95% acceptance rate and $37,558 net price tag position it as an accessible but pricey option for those drawn to its blend of Christian roots and creative-industry pragmatism.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
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.
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.
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.
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.
Belmont's admissions process is decidedly non-selective, with a 95.3% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. according to 2023 data—making it essentially an open-admission school for students meeting baseline requirements. The middle 50% of admitted first-years scored between 1160-1350 on the SAT or 25-30 on the ACT, with average scores landing at 1256 (SAT) and 27 (ACT). Notably, 55.5% of students receive financial aid, with merit scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $22,000 annually for first-years. The university enrolled 7,167 of its 8,732 accepted applicants in the most recent cycle, suggesting high YieldThe share of admitted students who actually choose to enroll. Colleges watch it closely, which is why some weigh how interested you seem. from admitted students.
With 190+ undergraduate and graduate programs, Belmont leans heavily into its Nashville identity: music business and arts management dominate as the most popular majors (263 and 190 graduates respectively), followed by nursing (179 graduates) and liberal arts. The university also surprises with robust STEM offerings—biology and chemistry are notably strong departments according to student reports. Belmont's curriculum blends professional preparation (including enterprise cybersecurity and business analytics majors) with traditional liberal arts, though its 14:1 student-faculty ratio suggests larger introductory classes before specialization kicks in.
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.
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.
Weekends at Belmont mean diving into Nashville's music scene—students flock to concerts, comedy clubs, and honky-tonks downtown, while campus buzzes with 250+ organizations and Division I athletics (the Bruins compete in the Missouri Valley Conference). Housing is primarily traditional dorms (43% co-ed, 25% men's, 13% women's), fostering tight-knit communities. The university leans into its Christian heritage without being dogmatic, offering mission trips alongside music industry networking events. Study abroad programs are a particular strength, with Belmont promoting them as life-changing experiences that complement its Nashville-centric culture.
Belmont's 71% six-year graduation rate outpaces peer institutions by 10 percentage points, with an impressive 97% of 2025 graduates achieving positive career outcomes (employment or grad school). Alumni earn a median $36,427 one year post-graduation—modest compared to elite schools but strong for a regional university, likely boosted by Nashville's thriving healthcare and entertainment industries. The university particularly shines in funneling music business grads into label jobs and nursing students into nearby hospitals, with career services touting relationships with major Nashville employers.
At $37,558 Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. (after average aid), Belmont isn't cheap—but 55.5% of students receive financial aid packages averaging $34,232. Merit scholarships range from $3,000 to $22,000 annually, awarded automatically based on admission applications. The university provides a detailed net price calculator, though warns it's only an estimate. While cheaper than elite private schools, Belmont's cost still lands 25% above the national average for private colleges, making its strong outcomes crucial for justifying the investment.
Belmont uniquely straddles Bible Belt tradition and Music Row modernity—a Christian university where students analyze Taylor Swift's contracts in class. Its music business program is arguably the best outside Los Angeles or New York, with Nashville's industry providing unmatched access to internships at labels like Sony and BMI. The 97% career outcomes rate rivals far more selective schools, proving Belmont's knack for turning middle-tier students into employable graduates. For those wanting faith-friendly career prep with a backstage pass to Nashville's creative economy, it's hard to beat.