Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, Tennessee · Private Nonprofit · 62.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 41/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lincoln Memorial University is a private nonprofit institution in Harrogate, Tennessee, enrolling about 1,572 undergraduates. The sticker tuition of $26,938 drops to a net price of roughly $20,406 on average, though families earning under $30,000 pay closer to $15,644. Despite that cost relief, LMU's overall ROI score of 41 - rated Below Benchmark - reflects real structural headwinds: just under half of students (49.7%) complete a credential, and average earnings six years out sit at $34,300. Debt load is comparatively moderate at a $20,000 median, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58 is manageable for nursing graduates but problematic for students in lower-earning programs. LMU's mission serving Appalachian communities gives it purpose beyond the numbers, but prospective students should choose a high-ROI program path deliberately.
How Lincoln Memorial University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score41/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Lincoln Memorial University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $26,938/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $26,938/yr |
| Average net price | $20,406/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $81,624 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,956 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $212 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,572 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $26,938/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,406/year, or roughly $81,624 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $15,644/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,464/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,000, which works out to about $212 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,300) and comes to 0.58, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $15,644 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,799 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,993 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,403 |
| $110,001+ | $30,464 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of $15,644. That price helps, but with average earnings of $34,300 at six years and a 14.8-year payback period, low-income students are most exposed to risk if they don't complete or don't enter nursing. Maximizing Pell and institutional grants, and choosing a health-sciences track, is essential for this group.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $75,000 income band pays $18,799 - $19,993 net, a modest range. The payback math still stretches to nearly 15 years at median earnings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $75,000 net $25,403 - $30,464 - a significant jump. The school is most defensible for higher-income students who have specific reasons for LMU's health-sciences mission or regional ties.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Lincoln Memorial University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $79,561 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $58,231 | D |
| Teacher Education | $40,508 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is LMU's flagship program, graduating 104 students annually. Median first-year earnings reach $59,588 - well above the institution-wide median - climbing to $79,561 by year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 earns a C+ ROI grade, driven partly by $27,750 in median debt. For students committed to clinical careers in the region, this path offers the clearest path to financial sustainability on LMU's campus.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 20 students per year and posts a D ROI grade, with first-year earnings of $26,830 and a 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year earnings outlook improves to $58,231, suggesting many graduates pursue graduate or professional training before hitting higher pay bands. Students in this program should have a concrete graduate or clinical licensure plan before committing.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces only five graduates per year. Four-year earnings data lands at $40,508, consistent with entry-level teaching salaries in Tennessee. No debt or ROI grade data are available for this small cohort.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lincoln Memorial University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 62.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,572 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 37.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,938 |
LMU admits about 63% of applicants, placing it in the moderately selective range. The middle 50% SAT sits roughly 490 - 610 in both math and reading; ACT composite runs 18 - 24. No binding early decision is required. Applicants should demonstrate clear interest in health-sciences or education programs to align with LMU's core mission.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
LMU's nursing program keeps it relevant in the health-workforce pipeline.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Memorial University (this school) | 41 | $20,406 | $49,956 |
| Baptist Health Sciences University | 69 | $11,212 | $72,529 |
| Felician University | 40 | $40,045 | $57,602 |
| Chatham University | 39 | $29,954 | $52,410 |
| Sarah Lawrence College | 37 | $41,437 | $53,603 |
| American Baptist College | 32 | $9,216 | $41,216 |
Who Thrives Here
LMU suits motivated students from Appalachia and surrounding regions who plan to enter health care, particularly nursing, and who value a smaller, community-oriented campus. Admitted students typically score ACT 18 - 24. Students who land in nursing or allied health can expect solid returns; those drawn to kinesiology or education face tighter financial math given the 49.7% completion rate and $34,300 average earnings at six years. First-generation students should note the generous aid for the lowest income bracket.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Lincoln Memorial University scores 41/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,406 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,956 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.8 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 49.7% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 68.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Lincoln Memorial University: Common Questions
Is Lincoln Memorial University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Lincoln Memorial University scores 41/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,406 a year after aid against $49,956 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Lincoln Memorial University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $20,406 a year, or roughly $81,624 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Lincoln Memorial University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,956 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,156 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Lincoln Memorial University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 14.8 years for Lincoln Memorial University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Lincoln Memorial University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,000, against average earnings of $34,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Lincoln Memorial University?
The six-year graduation rate is 49.7%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.