Campbellsville University

Private · Moderately Selective · KY

Photo: Willp1203 (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationKY · South

SettingRural

Undergrads2,840

Student:faculty19:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate29.9%

6-yr grad rate42%

Drop-out rate35.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$28k

Out-of-state tuition$28k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity34.6%

Gender diversity60.7%

International9.3%

IdentityBaptist

Overview

Campbellsville University is a Baptist-affiliated university in central Kentucky built around an explicitly Christian mission alongside a career-oriented academic catalog. It draws a mix of traditional students from the region, a substantial international population, and a large cohort of online and adult learners, giving it a broader footprint than its small-town setting might suggest. The school operates as a teaching-first institution where faculty accessibility and a close-knit, faith-centered community are the selling points rather than research prestige.

Academics

Education, business, social work, and music are longstanding strengths, reflecting the university's roots as a training ground for regional teachers, ministers, and church musicians. Nursing and health sciences have grown into another core offering. Programs tend to be applied and licensure-oriented rather than theoretical, with faculty who teach heavy course loads and know students individually. The university has also built out a sizable slate of online degree-completion and graduate programs, serving working adults well beyond its Kentucky base, alongside the residential undergraduate population.

Campus & student life

Campus life centers on chapel, Bible study groups, and a visibly practiced Baptist identity that shapes social norms as much as academics. Athletics compete in the NAIA, drawing a devoted but modest following typical of a small Christian college. The international student population, many from Asia and Africa, gives the small-town Kentucky campus more cultural variety than its size implies. Social life is largely centered on campus rather than the surrounding rural county.

Getting in

Admission is not highly competitive and the process is straightforward rather than elaborately holistic, though the application does invite students to speak to their faith background and interest in the university's Christian mission. Campbellsville markets itself on accessibility and personal attention rather than exclusivity, and it works actively with international students and transfer applicants.

Worth knowing

The university's large international and online populations mean the residential Christian-college experience is only part of the picture — a significant share of students never set foot on the Kentucky campus. Students uncomfortable with an overtly evangelical Baptist campus culture, including chapel expectations, should weigh that seriously; students seeking it will find it genuine rather than nominal.

campbellsville.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate79.7%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying