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Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia

https://www.liberty.edu

#531 National Colleges

51.06% Admission Rate
Somewhat Selective

46,438 Undergraduates Enrolled

  • Private nonprofit
  • Doctoral/Professional Universities
  • Four-year, higher part-time
  • Four-year, large, primarily nonresidential
  • Religious Affiliation: Evangelical Christian
Liberty University (LU) is a private Evangelical university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It was founded by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns in 1971. When measured in terms of student enrollment it is one of the largest Christian universities in the world and one of the largest private non-profit universities in the United States. Although the university's physical campus is in Lynchburg, most of its students are online. In 2020, the university enrolled about 95,000 students: about 15,000 in its residential program and 80,000 in online courses.

Liberty University consists of 17 colleges, including a school of osteopathic medicine and a school of law. Liberty's athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are collectively known as the Liberty Flames. Their college football team is an NCAA Division I FBS Independent, while most of their other sports teams compete in the ASUN Conference.

Studies at the university have a conservative Evangelical orientation, with three required Bible-studies classes for undergraduate students. The university's honor code, called the "Liberty Way,” prohibits premarital sex, cohabitation, and alcohol use. Described as a "bastion of the Christian right", the university plays a prominent role in Republican politics.

"Liberty University." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 February 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_University.
Location

City
Lynchburg, Virginia

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Locale
City: Small (population less than 100,000)

Region
Southeast (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)

Academics

Predominant Degree Awarded
Predominantly bachelor's-degree granting

Highest Degree Awarded
Graduate degree

Most Popular Fields

Field % Students
Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services 19.8%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 16.5%
Psychology 11.4%
Philosophy And Religious Studies 8.4%
Education 7.4%
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services 5.9%
Health Professions And Related Programs 5.5%
Visual And Performing Arts 2.8%
Theology And Religious Vocations 2.3%
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies 2.3%
Legal Professions And Studies 2.3%
Transportation And Materials Moving 2.1%
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services 1.8%
Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs 1.8%
Social Sciences 1.8%
History 1.6%
Public Administration And Social Service Professions 1.4%
Biological And Biomedical Sciences 1.4%
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences 1.0%
Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities 0.8%
Engineering 0.7%
English Language And Literature/Letters 0.3%
Mathematics And Statistics 0.2%
Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics 0.2%
Military Technologies And Applied Sciences 0.2%
Physical Sciences 0.1%
Mechanic And Repair Technologies/Technicians 0.0%
Construction Trades 0.0%

Cost

Tuition
$22,747.00

Percentage Students Receiving Aid
56.65%

Average Net Cost After Aid
$28,903.00

Admissions

SAT Scores

1171 Composite Average
Percentile 75% 50% 25%
Math 620 565 510
Verbal 640 585 530

ACT Scores

25 Cumulative Average
Percentile 75% 50% 25%
Math 27 23 18
English 30 26 21