Union Commonwealth University

Union Commonwealth University's published cost of attendance is $44,322. Need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $12,214, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $14,368, middle-income families pay about $15,774, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $44,322, and higher-income families pay around $44,322.

Azimuth ranks Union Commonwealth University #738 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Union Commonwealth University meets demonstrated financial need through a combination of need-based scholarships, grants, and federal aid programs. Families apply using the FAFSA, and the institution works with students to assemble aid packages that bridge the gap between sticker price and what families can afford.

The affordability rank reflects both the headline cost and the debt load graduates carry: [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), and understanding that difference is key to evaluating long-term affordability. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $24,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,450; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's typical four-year earnings scenario of $52,077, median federal debt of $24,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $274 under standard ten-year repayment. In a downside earnings scenario anchored on lower-earning program clusters, four-year earnings of $44,238 would shift the real burden of that same payment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Union Commonwealth University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,077, placing Union Commonwealth University in the 11.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,619 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Union Commonwealth University in the 24.4 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Union Commonwealth University #1215 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern centers on the institution's dominant strength in health-related fields.

Nursing is the largest program with 38 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $87,221, at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 36 students earning $51,079 four years after enrollment, while Kinesiology with 32 graduates and General Studies round out the core program portfolio.

Nursing combines substantial enrollment with solid earnings outcomes, anchoring the institution's overall return profile. These outcomes reflect Union Commonwealth University's concentration in Health — a field family with stable employer demand and consistent career pathways that support long-term earnings growth.

Union Commonwealth University's program mix is anchored in health professions and applied clinical fields—a portfolio shaped by the institution's mission as a regional health-sciences-focused private university in Kentucky. Nursing is the largest program with 38 graduates, followed by Business Administration with 36 graduates, Kinesiology with 32 graduates, General Studies, and Psychology, General.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 202 students annually, the institution concentrates its academic footprint in Health and related applied-professional fields. The earnings pattern reflects the health-professions signature.

Nursing graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $87,221 with 38 graduates, while Business Administration delivers median earnings of $51,079 with 36 graduates. Kinesiology rounds out the highest-earning programs with median earnings of $41,475 and 32 graduates.

These programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes in nursing, clinical health sciences, and related applied-health professions. The concentration in Health aligns with regional labor-market demand and the institution's positioning as a health-professions university.

Graduates in nursing and clinical health fields enter stable, in-demand sectors with consistent hiring and wage growth. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these health-professions pathways align with national workforce trends and regional healthcare employer recruitment patterns.