1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [University of the Cumberlands](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # University of the Cumberlands Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/admissions/)[Majors](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do University of the Cumberlands graduates earn? The reported median is $51,882 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $68,250 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$16,368 per year. Return is the weakest pillar for University of the Cumberlands, landing at the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $51,882 four years after completion, at the 23rd percentile. The comparable-institution median is $68,250 (same type and size), and this school sits $16,368 below. Graduates earn about $4,898 less than the model expects for similar students. That result falls at the 37th percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,258. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $7,156. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $65. The earnings scenarios show a wide range: from $39,394 on the downside to $75,183 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. Program-level figures bear that out. Nursing graduates earn a median of $94,183 four years after completion, from 84 degrees awarded a year. Business/Commerce, the largest program with published earnings at 175 degrees awarded, reports $59,760. An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings cover completers who are working and not enrolled, those continuing their education are outside that earnings snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $51,882 **Rank for difference from expectations** 37th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **University of the Cumberlands reported median** $51,882 **Peer schools comparable schools · $16,368 above University of the Cumberlands** $68,250 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $4,898 above University of the Cumberlands** $56,780 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $39,394 to $75,183, around the reported median of $51,882. Compare the lower scenario with [University of the Cumberlands borrowing and monthly payments](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $39,394 **Median · reported** $51,882 **Higher estimate** $75,183 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do University of the Cumberlands graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). University of the Cumberlands graduates’ reported earnings are $4,898 below that expectation, the 37th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending University of the Cumberlands caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,258 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$7,156 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$4,898 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at University of the Cumberlands report the highest earnings? The highest-earning program at University of the Cumberlands is Nursing, where graduates earn a median of $94,183 four years after completion. The program awards 84 degrees a year. The largest program with published earnings is Business/Commerce, with 175 degrees awarded and median earnings of $59,760. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #39 nationally in its field, and #2 in Kentucky. Human Services posts median earnings of $37,823, with 110 degrees awarded. Teacher Education posts median earnings of $40,093, with 97 degrees awarded. Earnings vary widely by field. University of the Cumberlands has 9 nationally ranked bachelor's program, and the program that earns the most is not the largest. Nursing graduates earn a median of $94,183 four years after completion, from 84 degrees awarded a year. The largest program with published earnings is Business/Commerce, at 175 degrees awarded. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #39 within its field nationally and #2 in Kentucky. Its completers earn a median of $59,760. Psychology and Human Services follow, with 130 and 110 degrees awarded. Their median earnings sit at $40,751 and $37,823, respectively. Across all fields, Business accounts for 18.0% of bachelor's degrees awarded, ahead of Liberal Arts & General Studies at 16.6%. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $94,183 **Business/Commerce, General** $59,760 **Biology, General** $59,702 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness** $45,660 **Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions** $45,061 **Criminal Justice and Corrections** $41,785 **Psychology, General** $40,751 **Communication and Media Studies** $40,699 [Explore University of the Cumberlands program cohorts and field ranks](/school/university-of-the-cumberlands/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a downside of $39,394, a typical outcome of $51,882, and an upside of $75,183. The spread reflects variation by field: Nursing reaches $94,183 at the high end, while Human Services, the lowest-earning among the largest programs with published earnings, stands at $37,823. Four years after completing a degree, University of the Cumberlands graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $51,882. That figure is $16,368 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), placing the university in the 23rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort is 1,017 completers. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from a downside of $39,394 to an upside of $75,183, with a typical scenario of $51,882. An estimated 28.4% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).