Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Union College is a private regional university located in Barbourville, Kentucky. Union College is moderately inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Union College is in the bottom 10% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $38,076 10 years after enrolling, 20th in Kentucky, and in the bottom 25% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Union College bachelor students earn 22% less than the national average.
Union College’s median net annual cost of $20,558 and average years to graduate of 4.7 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 3 programs at Union College sorted by number of graduates - Registered Nursing, Business Administration, Education (subject specific) - are shown below.
Annual net cost
$20,558
Average years to graduate
4.7
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 2 graduate programs at Union College - Educ. Administration, Education - are shown below.
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.7 years. 38% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Union College is 13% lower than the state average, and 19% below the average for all regional universities in the country.
At Union College, Pell Grant recipients represent 56% of the measured graduating class, 21% higher than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Union College graduates within 4.9 years.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Union College’s economic mobility score of 10.43 is calculated by adjusting the 7.61 economic score of lower-income students by the 56% pell grant recipients within the student body. Union College’s EMS of 10.43 ranks in the bottom 50% nationally. Please note that the economic mobility score considers only students that have graduated.
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Bottom 50%
The average Title IV recipient at Union College pays $20,558 a year, $19,642 less than the $40,200 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $20,558
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Union College, 98% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $20,558 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 73% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $6,534. This is 19% more than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,976
Pell grants
$5,030
State grants
$4,761
Institutional grants
$16,963
Union College offers 4 online bachelor programs, 2 of which are held exclusively online. At the master’s level Union College offers 18 programs, all of which are held exclusively online. We use the IPEDS July '20 — July '21 Distance Education report to determine which programs are online. EarningsPlus data is provided when available.
Online programs
22
Hybrid programs
2
Percentage of programs online
40%
Union College's moderately inclusive admissions are indicated by their 56% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 723 applicants, of which 408 were admitted and 140 enrolled. Union College has a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed as they arrive until all spaces are filled.
Full time
96%
83%
Female
46%
59%
First time
73%
59%
In-state
68%
68%
1st generation
41%
35%
White
68%
52%
Black
15%
14%
Hispanic
2%
15%
Asian
N/A
5%
American Indian
1%
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
14%
12%