Admit rate has ranged 47%–58% 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.
Oklahoma Baptist University is a small, Christ-centered liberal arts college in Shawnee where faith isn't just a footnote—it's the foundation of campus life and learning. With a notably high average GPA for admitted students and a curriculum built around 80+ majors, OBU cultivates a tight-knit, service-oriented community where over 60 clubs and a 90% medical school acceptance rate signal its dual commitment to spiritual formation and professional preparation. It's a place for students who want their college experience to be as much about character as it is about career.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
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
1,308
In-state tuition
$35,570
Out-of-state tuition
$35,570
Graduation Rate
52%
Median Earnings (10yr)
$48,434
First-Year Retention Rate
72%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$48,434
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.3×
Median debt at graduation
$24,801
Graduation rate
52%
First-year retention
72%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
70%
Pell (lower-income) share
17%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
26%
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
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.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$52,107
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$35,060
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$34,793
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services$21,508
Anthropology$21,508
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 & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
0.69
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
82
Summer high
91°F
Winter low
34°F
Annual rain
41.3"
Annual snow
7.4"
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
33
Scholarly works
371
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
0.7%
Bottom → top quintile
12%
From bottom quintile
6%
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 Oklahoma Baptist University?
Oklahoma Baptist University's acceptance rate is approximately 49% (Shawnee, OK), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Oklahoma Baptist University?
Admitted students at Oklahoma Baptist University typically score 1070–1240 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Oklahoma Baptist University cost?
At Oklahoma Baptist University, the average net price (after aid) is about $20,958 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Oklahoma Baptist University?
Oklahoma Baptist University enrolls approximately 1,308 undergraduate students.
Where is Oklahoma Baptist University located?
Oklahoma Baptist University is located in Shawnee, OK.
Admissions
Gaining admission to Oklahoma Baptist University is a moderately selective process, with the university admitting roughly half of its applicants. For the most recent cycle, the institution reported 3,653 applications and 1,805 admissions, resulting in an of 49.4% [5]. The admitted student profile is academically solid, with sources citing an average high school GPA of 3.85 [2][10]. Standardized test scores for the middle 50% of admitted students who submitted them typically range from 990 to 1220 on the SAT and 20 to 26 on the ACT [7][8]. While the (which details how heavily factors like demonstrated interest are weighed) is a standard resource for admissions insights, the provided sources for OBU do not include its specific CDS report [35][36][37][38][39]. The university's own admissions office can be contacted at 405.585.5000 [1].
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.
OBU offers a traditional liberal arts education through a distinctly Christian lens, providing students with a wide range of over 80 majors to choose from [13][14]. The academic environment is structured to support students both inside and outside the classroom, with a notable claim of a 90% for its graduates applying to medical school [14]. The curriculum is flexible, designed to pair a "world-class education" with the university's faith-based mission [13]. Popular majors heavily skew toward the caring professions and education. For the 2024 graduating class, the most common fields were Registered Nursing (14%), Physical Therapy (7%), General Education (6%), and Elementary Education (6%) [15]. The university also engages the broader professional community, hosting events like professional development workshops for local educators [16].
Life at OBU is intentionally crafted to be holistic, focusing on the "spiritual development of students along with their social, academic, and physical" growth [18]. With a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,427 students, the campus fosters a close-knit, vibrant community [21]. A key pillar of this community is the array of over 60 clubs and organizations managed by the Campus Life office, which aims to invite participation from all students, faculty, and staff [19]. The university maintains specific campus life policies designed to create "programmed opportunities" for development within its Christ-centered context [20]. This faith-based culture is frequently cited as creating a welcoming atmosphere, though some external observations note it as a defining characteristic that shapes the campus environment [22]. Student life is overseen by a dedicated staff, including a Vice President for Campus Life and a Director of Bison Recreation and Wellness [17].
OBU tracks positive post-graduation outcomes for its alumni. According to a recent university survey of respondents, 72% are employed, 19% are attending graduate school, and 5% are both employed and in graduate school, with only 1% reported as not seeking employment [23]. The university also advertises that 96% of the Class of 2025 reported being employed, enrolled in graduate school, or both [33]. In terms of earnings, data shows graduates have a median salary of $48,434 ten years after entering the university [25]. Other sources note earnings of $41,414 one year after graduation and $48,496 five years after [24]. The institution's first-year retention rate is reported at 72% [25].
The published total for a traditional undergraduate at OBU, including tuition, fees, and room and board, is $49,065 [2]. Tuition and fees alone are listed at $35,770 [2]. However, the university emphasizes affordability through financial aid, offering a variety of scholarships and grants [28]. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the FAFSA to be eligible for the best possible aid package, with a priority deadline of January 1 for federal aid applicants [40][41]. The university provides tools like a Calculator and an Award Estimator to help families gauge their actual cost [27][29][32]. While the sources discuss loans as an option to fund up to 100% of the cost after other aid, and mention private loan resources, there is no indication from the provided materials that OBU has a "no-loan" policy or guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans [42][43][44].
Oklahoma Baptist University distinguishes itself through the seamless and deliberate integration of faith into every aspect of the collegiate experience. This isn't a university with a chapel requirement; it's one where spiritual development is explicitly named as a co-equal pillar alongside academic and social growth [18]. This mission manifests in tangible ways: a community-oriented campus life with over 60 clubs [19], an academic focus that produces a high volume of nurses, teachers, and therapists [15], and an impressive 90% medical school that speaks to the strength of its pre-professional advising [14]. It's a place where the average admitted student carries a 3.85 GPA, suggesting a serious academic cohort, but where the ultimate measure of success extends beyond the diploma to include character and calling [2][10]. For students seeking a small, supportive environment where their education and their faith are expected to inform one another, OBU offers a clear and consistent path.
Oklahoma Baptist University seal · sourceHistory and School Rankings | OBU · sourceAdmission | Oklahoma Baptist University · sourceOBU Campus Recognized as One of the Nation's Most Beautiful · source
