
Springfield, MOprivate nonprofitwww.evangel.edu/
Admit rate has ranged 64%–97% 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.
Evangel University is a small, faith-driven liberal arts school in Springfield, Missouri, where spiritual formation and hands-on ministry training collide with surprisingly robust pre-professional programs. With a 63-72% acceptance rate and a tight-knit residential community, it attracts students who want a conservative Christian environment with practical career prep—especially in education, business, and health sciences.
Test-blind — scores not considered
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
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.
Evangel’s admissions process leans accessible, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering between 52-72% depending on the reporting source. Test scores for admitted students cluster around the middle of the pack—SATs between 980-1120, ACTs around 16-17—though the university emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone. over strict cutoffs. Notably, applicants with fewer than 14 college credits post-high school are still considered freshmen, making transfer pathways flexible.
With over 70 degree programs, Evangel balances classic liberal arts with career-ready training. Elementary education, business administration, and psychology dominate the majors list, but the university also touts niche strengths in biochemistry (pre-med tracks) and music. A 2024-25 College of Distinction designation highlights its engaged learning model, though some critics argue the Assemblies of God affiliation limits academic rigor in certain fields. The curriculum mandates global service through the Global Cultures and Compassion program, blending coursework with hands-on ministry.
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.
Campus life revolves around faith and community: 77% of students live on campus, where dorms enforce strict conduct rules (no alcohol, curfews for underclassmen). The vibe is wholesome—think worship nights over frat parties—with traditions like intramural sports and service trips anchoring social life. Niche reviews describe a ‘safe bubble’ where spiritual growth trumps typical college revelry. The mandatory Global Cultures program sends students into local and international ministry work, reinforcing the university’s missional ethos.
Evangel punches above its weight in social mobility, with US News ranking it a top performer for lifting lower-income students. The six-year graduation rate sits at 62% overall (57% for Pell Grant recipients), though just 46% finish in four years. Alumni earn median salaries of $36,427 one year post-graduation—modest but aligned with regional norms. The university’s career services lean heavily on church networks, particularly for education and nonprofit roles.
At $45,538 sticker price, Evangel isn’t cheap, but Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. drop to ~$20,963 after aid for most students. The university aggressively markets its Net Price Calculator, promising personalized estimates for scholarships (including faith-based awards) and grants. Financial aid packages often include Assemblies of God church matching funds, though some students report opaque packaging.
Evangel’s singular blend of Pentecostal fervor and practical training makes it a haven for students who want to ‘do ministry’ through careers in education, healthcare, or business. Its social mobility accolades reveal unexpected success with First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. students, while the tight-knit, rules-heavy campus fosters intense camaraderie—if you’re all-in on the faith-based model. For Assemblies of God adherents, it’s a pipeline to denominational leadership; for others, a low-stakes way to merge career prep with spiritual exploration.