1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. King University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # King University TN · Small private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #956 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/king-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/king-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/king-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/king-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/king-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) King University #956 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for King University is a private nonprofit university in Bristol, Tennessee, where Health Professions and Business account for the largest shares of degrees. Return is above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to a remainder it cannot explain than to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. The price picture is mixed. The average net price for the lowest income band sits well below the published cost, and the spread between the lowest and highest bands is narrow. But Pell students complete at a rate below the cohort as a whole, and mobility is below the levels seen at many peers. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study. A student drawn to the largest program, Nursing, should know it is also the best-paid one here. ## King University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 99.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 47.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $61,394 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $18,035 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $22,750 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $13,363 ## King University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) King University is a private nonprofit university in Bristol, Tennessee, enrolling 908 undergraduates. The university admits nearly everyone who applies, at 99.7%, well above the 75.7% median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Among full-time first-year students, 60.1% return for a second year, against a peer median of 74.2%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 47.9%, compared with a median of 54.9% for similar schools. An estimated 53.2% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the first-time full-time graduation rate describes a minority of the student body. The four pillars that make up the composite are spread wide. Return is the strongest, at the 67th percentile, while mobility is the weakest, at the 6th percentile. Affordability and access sit between them, at the 54th and 22nd percentiles respectively. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) King University on four pillars among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. Return is the strongest, at the 67th percentile, and mobility is the weakest, at the 6th percentile. Affordability sits near the middle at the 54th percentile, while access trails at the 22nd percentile. 41.6% of undergraduates at King University receive Pell Grants. Those students complete at 38.5%, 9.4 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (47.9%). Azimuth ranks the university #1,141 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the university #1,374 for mobility. Graduates earn about $11,306 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) King University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #956 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 6 **Access & reach** National percentile: 22 **[Affordability](/school/king-university/cost/)** National percentile: 54 **[Return on investment](/school/king-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 67 01 / King University briefing ## [King University cost & financial aid](/school/king-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) At King University, the standard budget lists a sticker price of $49,004 for undergraduates. That total combines $36,194 in tuition and fees along with $10,880 for room and board. Grants and scholarships reduce the published cost by $26,657 on average for aid recipients. At the university the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $22,347, which is level with the $22,347 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Aid covers about 54% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. Azimuth ranks the university #658 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar in the 54th percentile. The published cost of attendance at King University is $49,004. Azimuth ranks the university #658 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $22,696, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $18,035, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $27,219. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $4,523. Aid covers about 54% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price across all bands to $22,347. That figure is level with the median of $22,347 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree leave with a median of $22,750 in federal student loans, which is $2,250 below the peer median of $25,000. About 87.4% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the separate [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a median of $13,363. If repaid over ten years, the median student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$18,035** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at King University Borrowers who complete a degree at King University leave with a median of $22,750 in federal student loans. Measured against comparable institutions (same type and size), that median is $2,250 below the peer median of $25,000. Federal loans reach 87.4% of federal aid recipients at the university. Parent borrowers represent a separate population. They hold a median of $13,363 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. Among federally aided graduates of King University who are working and not enrolled, the median four years after completion is $61,394. That figure is at the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That amount is $5,479 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $11,306 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the result at the 86th percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, run from $46,126 on the downside to $82,496 on the upside, with a typical scenario of $61,394. Borrowers who finish hold a median of $22,750 in federal loans, $2,250 below the peer median. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $13,363. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $22,750 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $13,363 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $259/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $170/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=king-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/king-university/cost/) 02 / King University briefing ## [King University career outcomes & earnings](/school/king-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) King University graduates out-earn both the median for comparable institutions and the model's expectation, though most of that advantage is not explained by the factors the model measures. The median for federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled four years after completion is $61,394, in the 55th percentile. That is $5,479 above the $55,915 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar in the 67th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,306 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,406. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $8,900. The STEM component, counted within the measured factors, adds $266. Four years after completing a degree, the median earnings for federally aided graduates of King University who are working and not enrolled is $61,394. That figure is drawn from a cohort of 856 completers. Graduates earn about $11,306 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 86th percentile. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix put the typical scenario at $61,394, with a downside scenario of $46,126 and an upside scenario of $82,496. An estimated 26.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The median earnings for federally aided graduates of King University who are working and not enrolled is $61,394 four years after completion, at the 55th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. This is $5,479 above the median of $55,915 for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #488 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,306 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 86th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,406. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $8,900. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $266. The program mix is concentrated in health professions and business. Earnings scenarios estimated from that mix range from a downside of $46,126 to an upside of $82,496. An estimated 26.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a wide range tied to program choice: the downside scenario is $46,126 while the upside scenario reaches $82,496. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, Nursing graduates earn $83,010 four years after completion, from 103 degrees awarded. Computer and Information Sciences follows at $75,435, with 13 degrees awarded. King University graduates earn about $11,306 more than the model expects for similar students. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $22,750 in federal student loans. That amount is $2,250 below the $25,000 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The peer median is the middle value for institutions of the same type and size. If repaid over ten years, that balance corresponds to an estimated payment of $259 a month. Parent borrowers hold a separate median of $13,363. For students who finish, the earnings advantage and the below-peer debt load point the same direction. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,406 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$8,900 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$11,306 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/king-university/outcomes/) 03 / King University briefing ## [King University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/king-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) King University admits nearly every applicant, with an admission rate of 99.7%. The median of 75.7% for comparable institutions (same type and size) is well below that figure. A rate this high means the admissions process is not the primary barrier for most prospective students. Admissions **Admission rate** 99.7% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/king-university/admissions/) 04 / King University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at King University?](/school/king-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Nursing is both the largest program and the highest-earning one at King University, with 103 degrees awarded and median earnings of $83,010 four years after completion. Computer and Information Sciences graduates earn $75,435, but the program awards only 13 degrees a year. Business Administration and Management is the second-largest program at 76 degrees awarded, with median earnings of $59,591. Teacher Education reports $44,219 from 30 degrees awarded. Psychology awards 29 degrees and its graduates earn $40,796. The earnings spread between the top and the more moderate programs is wide, and the highest-earning field is also the one that awards the most degrees. Health Professions and Business together award more than half of all bachelor's degrees here, at 29.2% and 22.4% respectively. The largest single program is Nursing, with 103 degrees awarded and median earnings of $83,010 four years after completion. Business Administration and Management is the second-largest program, awarding 76 degrees and showing median earnings of $59,591. Among smaller programs, Computer and Information Sciences awards 13 degrees and its graduates earn a median of $75,435 four years after completion. Across all fields, 9 programs have published earnings data. The degree mix at King University is concentrated in two professional fields. Health Professions accounts for 29.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Business for 22.4%. Public Administration & Social Services is a distant third at 9.7%. The largest single program is Nursing, at 103 degrees awarded a year. It is also the highest-earning program, with a median of $83,010 four years after completion. Business Administration and Management is the second-largest program, awarding 76 degrees with median earnings of $59,591. Computer and Information Sciences is a much smaller program at 13 degrees a year, but its graduates earn $75,435. The pattern is one where the largest program also pays the best, and the next-highest earner is a small technical field. Across all programs, 11.6% of degrees are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 103 degrees awarded** $83,010 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 76 degrees awarded** $59,591 **Social Work 43 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 30 degrees awarded** $44,219 **Psychology, General 29 degrees awarded** $40,796 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 28 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/king-university/majors/) 05 / King University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to King University?](/school/king-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/king-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with King University. Admissions peerBluefield State University97.2% admitted+ Comparison with King University | Measure | King University | Bluefield State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,394 | $61,729+$335 vs King University | | Average annual net price | $22,347 | $13,684\-$8,663 vs King University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.7% | 97.2% | Nearby alternativeLincoln Memorial UniversityNearby option · TN+ Comparison with King University | Measure | King University | Lincoln Memorial University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,394 | $69,633+$8,239 vs King University | | Average annual net price | $22,347 | $20,406\-$1,941 vs King University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.7% | 62.6% | Higher-earnings alternativeCal Poly Maritime Academy$108,757 earnings+ Comparison with King University | Measure | King University | Cal Poly Maritime Academy | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,394 | $108,757+$47,363 vs King University | | Average annual net price | $22,347 | $20,555\-$1,792 vs King University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.7% | 95.0% | [Explore Cal Poly Maritime Academy →](/school/cal-poly-maritime-academy/) Lower-cost alternativeBluefield State University$13,684 average net price+ Comparison with King University | Measure | King University | Bluefield State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,394 | $61,729+$335 vs King University | | Average annual net price | $22,347 | $13,684\-$8,663 vs King University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 99.7% | 97.2% | Similar profileWashington CollegeMatched across several measures+ Comparison with King University | Measure | King University | Washington College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $61,394 | $58,768\-$2,626 vs King University | | Average annual net price | $22,347 | $27,898+$5,551 vs King University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 99.7% | 56.9% | Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/king-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance is 150% of the federal poverty guideline for one person, for the year the API serves. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. The parent table is the 10-year payment on the median Parent PLUS as a share of household income above 200% of the guideline for a household of three: under 6% Safe, 6–10% Caution, over 10% High pressure. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)