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Basic Information

Type Private, Liberal Arts
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Lutheran (ELCA)
Location Hickory, NC
Population 300,000
Website https://www.lr.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 115 (84%)
Sunshine Hours 2,680 (63%)
Days Without Precipitation 256 (71%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 1,314
Men / Women 47% / 53%
From State 68%
From Region 21%
Athletes 63.5%

Racial/Ethnic

White 60%
Black 14%
Hispanic 9%
International 7%
Mixed 4%
Asian 2%
Native American 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 45.4% 45.4% 2012 Men: 45.9% 45.9% 2013 Men: 46.1% 46.1% 2014 Men: 49.3% 49.3% 2015 Men: 45.8% 45.8% 2016 Men: 37.5% 37.5% 2017 Men: 44.1% 44.1% 2018 Men: 42.4% 42.4% 2019 Men: 44.7% 44.7% 2020 Men: 40.0% 40.0% 2021 Men: 44.5% 44.5% 2022 Men: 47.3% 47.3% 2023 Men: 47.5% 47.5% 2024 Men: 50.7% 50.7%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2012 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2014 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2015 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2016 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2017 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2018 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2019 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2020 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2021 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2022 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2023 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2024 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2011 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2012 Asian: 2.3% 2.3% 2013 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2014 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2015 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2016 Asian: 2.8% 2.8% 2017 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2018 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2019 Asian: 1.3% 1.3% 2020 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2021 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2022 Asian: 2.6% 2.6% 2023 Asian: 1.0% 1.0% 2024 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2011 Black: 8.9% 8.9% 2012 Black: 10.7% 10.7% 2013 Black: 6.5% 6.5% 2014 Black: 11.9% 11.9% 2015 Black: 10.4% 10.4% 2016 Black: 13.5% 13.5% 2017 Black: 19.2% 19.2% 2018 Black: 17.6% 17.6% 2019 Black: 19.6% 19.6% 2020 Black: 17.6% 17.6% 2021 Black: 18.6% 18.6% 2022 Black: 14.5% 14.5% 2023 Black: 14.4% 14.4% 2024 Black: 13.1% 13.1% 2011 Hispanic: 1.8% 1.8% 2012 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2013 Hispanic: 1.1% 1.1% 2014 Hispanic: 3.8% 3.8% 2015 Hispanic: 2.3% 2.3% 2016 Hispanic: 4.5% 4.5% 2017 Hispanic: 5.0% 5.0% 2018 Hispanic: 2.4% 2.4% 2019 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2020 Hispanic: 2.3% 2.3% 2021 Hispanic: 7.8% 7.8% 2022 Hispanic: 8.7% 8.7% 2023 Hispanic: 6.5% 6.5% 2024 Hispanic: 7.9% 7.9% 2011 White: 81.0% 81.0% 2012 White: 79.3% 79.3% 2013 White: 78.5% 78.5% 2014 White: 75.1% 75.1% 2015 White: 47.9% 47.9% 2016 White: 76.8% 76.8% 2017 White: 67.8% 67.8% 2018 White: 70.8% 70.8% 2019 White: 68.2% 68.2% 2020 White: 69.7% 69.7% 2021 White: 61.4% 61.4% 2022 White: 63.2% 63.2% 2023 White: 62.0% 62.0% 2024 White: 65.9% 65.9% 2011 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2012 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2014 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2016 International: 0.2% 0.2% 2017 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2018 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2019 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2020 International: 2.0% 2.0% 2021 International: 3.8% 3.8% 2022 International: 2.6% 2.6% 2023 International: 3.4% 3.4% 2024 International: 3.8% 3.8%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2021 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2022 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2023 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2025 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2020 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2021 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2022 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2023 Asian: 1.9% 1.9% 2024 Asian: 2.2% 2.2% 2025 Asian: 2.0% 2.0% 2020 Black: 11.9% 11.9% 2021 Black: 12.6% 12.6% 2022 Black: 13.1% 13.1% 2023 Black: 15.1% 15.1% 2024 Black: 14.0% 14.0% 2025 Black: 14.2% 14.2% 2020 Hispanic: 8.5% 8.5% 2021 Hispanic: 9.2% 9.2% 2022 Hispanic: 8.6% 8.6% 2023 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2024 Hispanic: 8.6% 8.6% 2025 Hispanic: 9.1% 9.1% 2020 White: 65.5% 65.5% 2021 White: 64.2% 64.2% 2022 White: 63.5% 63.5% 2023 White: 59.1% 59.1% 2024 White: 60.1% 60.1% 2025 White: 60.1% 60.1% 2020 International: 4.5% 4.5% 2021 International: 4.4% 4.4% 2022 International: 5.4% 5.4% 2023 International: 5.3% 5.3% 2024 International: 7.4% 7.4% 2025 International: 7.2% 7.2%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Lenoir-Rhyne University 348 43% / 57% 7% $60,435 60 97%
Computer Science 10 — 100% / 0% 0% $77,820 85 —
Information Science 3 — 100% / 0% 0% $73,109 80 —
Chemistry 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $66,019 71 —
Mathematics 3 — 67% / 33% 33% — — —
Physics — — — — $66,413 71 —
Biochemistry 4 — 50% / 50% 0% $60,035 59 —
Biology 17 — 35% / 65% 6% $59,238 57 —
Environmental Studies 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Exercise Science 51 — 53% / 47% 8% $54,043 43 96%
Health and Wellness 5 — 20% / 80% 20% $60,548 60 —
Nursing 40 — 12% / 88% 0% $74,014 81 100%
Pre-Health Studies 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $61,257 61 —
Pre-Medicine 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $61,512 62 —
Public Health Education and Promotion — — — — $60,741 60 —
Accounting 12 — 33% / 67% 0% $70,819 78 —
Business Administration — — — — $76,740 84 97%
Business Analytics 28 — 57% / 43% 14% $70,348 77 100%
Economics 6 — 67% / 33% 0% $65,908 71 —
Entrepreneurship 4 — 75% / 25% 25% $70,524 77 —
Finance 19 — 47% / 53% 16% $71,954 79 —
International Business 6 — 67% / 33% 33% $70,649 78 —
Marketing 15 — 60% / 40% 33% $68,350 75 —
Sports Management 24 — 79% / 21% 8% $54,043 43 96%
American Politics 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $57,039 51 —
Communication 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $49,950 30 —
English 3 — 0% / 100% 0% $43,932 15 —
History 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $47,956 24 —
Human Services 5 — 0% / 100% 0% $50,653 32 100%
International Affairs 3 — 0% / 100% 33% $57,179 52 —
Philosophy — — — — $47,579 23 —
Political Science 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $57,239 52 —
Psychology 21 — 14% / 86% 0% $48,599 26 85%
Public Relations 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Religious Studies — — — — $47,188 22 —
Sociology 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $47,845 24 —
Spanish — — — — $48,944 27 —
Youth Ministry — — — — $46,126 20 —
Elementary Education 10 — 0% / 100% 0% $46,701 21 100%
Middle School Education 5 — 40% / 60% 0% $46,701 21 100%
Teacher Education 5 — 20% / 80% 0% $46,701 21 100%
Fine Arts 9 — 11% / 89% 11% $38,713 8 —
Graphic Design — — — — $43,654 14 —
Music 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $38,608 7 —
Music Education 4 — 50% / 50% 0% $50,307 31 —
Music Performance 2 — 100% / 0% 0% $38,703 8 —
Sacred Music 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $46,330 20 —
Studio Art — — — — $38,232 7 —
Theater — — — — $37,528 6 —
Applied Engineering 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Criminal Justice — — — — $54,090 43 —
Criminal Justice Administration 10 — 60% / 40% 0% $53,882 42 —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $33,896
ROI Percentile 60th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 76%
4-Year Graduation Rate 36%
6-Year Graduation Rate 48%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 46.9% 46.9% 2012 Graduated: 49.0% 49.0% 2013 Graduated: 48.8% 48.8% 2014 Graduated: 54.2% 54.2% 2015 Graduated: 47.9% 47.9% 2016 Graduated: 48.0% 48.0% 2017 Graduated: 43.2% 43.2% 2018 Graduated: 50.2% 50.2% 2019 Graduated: 52.4% 52.4% 2020 Graduated: 45.4% 45.4% 2021 Graduated: 48.2% 48.2% 2022 Graduated: 51.3% 51.3% 2023 Graduated: 51.0% 51.0% 2024 Graduated: 47.8% 47.8%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 40.7% 40.7% 2012 Men: 38.8% 38.8% 2013 Men: 41.8% 41.8% 2014 Men: 43.8% 43.8% 2015 Men: 42.1% 42.1% 2016 Men: 40.2% 40.2% 2017 Men: 39.0% 39.0% 2018 Men: 44.4% 44.4% 2019 Men: 43.8% 43.8% 2020 Men: 40.6% 40.6% 2021 Men: 42.4% 42.4% 2022 Men: 48.3% 48.3% 2023 Men: 49.7% 49.7% 2024 Men: 43.5% 43.5% 2011 Women: 50.7% 50.7% 2012 Women: 56.9% 56.9% 2013 Women: 53.7% 53.7% 2014 Women: 60.4% 60.4% 2015 Women: 51.6% 51.6% 2016 Women: 54.6% 54.6% 2017 Women: 46.8% 46.8% 2018 Women: 55.1% 55.1% 2019 Women: 59.9% 59.9% 2020 Women: 50.0% 50.0% 2021 Women: 53.1% 53.1% 2022 Women: 53.2% 53.2% 2023 Women: 52.2% 52.2% 2024 Women: 51.3% 51.3%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Black Hispanic White
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Black: 17.2% 17.2% 2012 Black: 37.8% 37.8% 2013 Black: 37.5% 37.5% 2014 Black: 39.0% 39.0% 2015 Black: 48.6% 48.6% 2016 Black: 36.8% 36.8% 2017 Black: 37.7% 37.7% 2018 Black: 46.6% 46.6% 2019 Black: 44.3% 44.3% 2020 Black: 26.2% 26.2% 2021 Black: 26.5% 26.5% 2022 Black: 28.4% 28.4% 2023 Black: 34.5% 34.5% 2024 Black: 33.8% 33.8% 2011 Hispanic: 16.7% 16.7% 2012 Hispanic: 20.0% 20.0% 2013 Hispanic: 75.0% 75.0% 2014 Hispanic: 46.2% 46.2% 2015 Hispanic: 25.0% 25.0% 2016 Hispanic: 52.6% 52.6% 2017 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2018 Hispanic: 12.5% 12.5% 2019 Hispanic: 58.8% 58.8% 2020 Hispanic: 37.5% 37.5% 2021 Hispanic: 48.6% 48.6% 2022 Hispanic: 42.5% 42.5% 2023 Hispanic: 56.0% 56.0% 2024 Hispanic: 46.2% 46.2% 2011 White: 52.7% 52.7% 2012 White: 52.0% 52.0% 2013 White: 50.0% 50.0% 2014 White: 59.8% 59.8% 2015 White: 52.4% 52.4% 2016 White: 51.1% 51.1% 2017 White: 45.8% 45.8% 2018 White: 52.4% 52.4% 2019 White: 53.8% 53.8% 2020 White: 51.0% 51.0% 2021 White: 55.1% 55.1% 2022 White: 59.2% 59.2% 2023 White: 54.0% 54.0% 2024 White: 53.2% 53.2%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Business & Economics 32.8% 114 60% / 40% 15% $66,758 72 98%
Health Sciences 28.4% 99 33% / 67% 5% $62,664 64 98%
Humanities & Social Sciences 13.2% 46 17% / 83% 2% $50,368 31 88%
Life & Natural Sciences 6.0% 21 38% / 62% 5% $59,390 57 —
Education 5.7% 20 15% / 85% 0% $46,701 21 100%
Arts 5.5% 19 37% / 63% 5% $42,350 12 —
Computer Science 3.7% 13 100% / 0% 0% $76,733 84 —
Professional 3.2% 11 64% / 36% 0% $53,882 42 —
Physical Sciences & Math 1.1% 4 50% / 50% 25% $66,019 71 —
Agriculture & Food Science 0.3% 1 100% / 0% 0% — — —

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 86%
Yield (Unbound) 11%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 86% 86% 86%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 71.8% 71.8% 2012 Acceptance: 67.1% 67.1% 2013 Acceptance: 68.1% 68.1% 2014 Acceptance: 65.8% 65.8% 2015 Acceptance: 84.4% 84.4% 2016 Acceptance: 70.1% 70.1% 2017 Acceptance: 73.9% 73.9% 2018 Acceptance: 73.9% 73.9% 2019 Acceptance: 77.9% 77.9% 2020 Acceptance: 76.6% 76.6% 2021 Acceptance: 85.7% 85.7% 2022 Acceptance: 82.9% 82.9% 2023 Acceptance: 80.7% 80.7% 2024 Acceptance: 84.6% 84.6% 2011 Yield: 14.0% 14.0% 2012 Yield: 10.2% 10.2% 2013 Yield: 9.6% 9.6% 2014 Yield: 11.8% 11.8% 2015 Yield: 13.3% 13.3% 2016 Yield: 11.1% 11.1% 2017 Yield: 10.3% 10.3% 2018 Yield: 14.3% 14.3% 2019 Yield: 12.9% 12.9% 2020 Yield: 9.6% 9.6% 2021 Yield: 9.2% 9.2% 2022 Yield: 8.7% 8.7% 2023 Yield: 7.4% 7.4% 2024 Yield: 11.0% 11.0%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 4,022 4,022 2012 Applicants: 4,800 4,800 2013 Applicants: 4,762 4,762 2014 Applicants: 4,488 4,488 2015 Applicants: 3,994 3,994 2016 Applicants: 6,300 6,300 2017 Applicants: 5,356 5,356 2018 Applicants: 5,087 5,087 2019 Applicants: 4,791 4,791 2020 Applicants: 6,194 6,194 2021 Applicants: 4,847 4,847 2022 Applicants: 5,452 5,452 2023 Applicants: 6,299 6,299 2024 Applicants: 3,666 3,666 2011 Admitted: 2,887 2,887 2012 Admitted: 3,221 3,221 2013 Admitted: 3,241 3,241 2014 Admitted: 2,953 2,953 2015 Admitted: 3,369 3,369 2016 Admitted: 4,417 4,417 2017 Admitted: 3,958 3,958 2018 Admitted: 3,759 3,759 2019 Admitted: 3,734 3,734 2020 Admitted: 4,746 4,746 2021 Admitted: 4,155 4,155 2022 Admitted: 4,519 4,519 2023 Admitted: 5,082 5,082 2024 Admitted: 3,101 3,101 2011 Enrolled: 403 403 2012 Enrolled: 329 329 2013 Enrolled: 310 310 2014 Enrolled: 347 347 2015 Enrolled: 448 448 2016 Enrolled: 491 491 2017 Enrolled: 408 408 2018 Enrolled: 538 538 2019 Enrolled: 481 481 2020 Enrolled: 457 457 2021 Enrolled: 382 382 2022 Enrolled: 395 395 2023 Enrolled: 377 377 2024 Enrolled: 341 341

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 900 1000 1100 1200 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 900 900 2012 25th: 880 880 2013 25th: 880 880 2015 25th: 880 880 2016 25th: 870 870 2017 25th: 970 970 2018 25th: 960 960 2019 25th: 970 970 2011 75th: 1100 1100 2012 75th: 1100 1100 2013 75th: 1080 1080 2015 75th: 1100 1100 2016 75th: 1090 1090 2017 75th: 1170 1170 2018 75th: 1180 1180 2019 75th: 1170 1170

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 450 500 550 600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 460 460 2012 25th: 450 450 2013 25th: 450 450 2015 25th: 440 440 2016 25th: 440 440 2017 25th: 490 490 2018 25th: 480 480 2019 25th: 490 490 2011 75th: 560 560 2012 75th: 560 560 2013 75th: 550 550 2015 75th: 550 550 2016 75th: 550 550 2017 75th: 590 590 2018 75th: 590 590 2019 75th: 580 580

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 450 500 550 600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 440 440 2012 25th: 430 430 2013 25th: 430 430 2015 25th: 440 440 2016 25th: 430 430 2017 25th: 480 480 2018 25th: 480 480 2019 25th: 480 480 2011 75th: 540 540 2012 75th: 540 540 2013 75th: 530 530 2015 75th: 550 550 2016 75th: 540 540 2017 75th: 580 580 2018 75th: 590 590 2019 75th: 590 590

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2012 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2016 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2017 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2018 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2019 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.