Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Carson-Newman University, Guilford College, Cumberland University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Carson NewmanJefferson City, TN | GuilfordGreensboro, NC | Cumberland UniversityLebanon, TN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 90.5% | 80.0% | 67.3% |
| SAT middle 50% | 955–1215 | 1120–1260 | Not reportedCumberland University reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. |
| Average net price | $20,25133.4% on Pell grants | $22,27043.7% on Pell grants | $18,75930.3% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $34,700Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $41,362Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $27,840Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.2% | 45.8% | 45.6% |
| First-year retention | 74.2% | 64.9% | 59.5% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 33.4% | 43.7% | 30.3% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,382 | $47,590 | $57,687 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,500 | $26,000 | $17,952 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 12:1 | 12:1 | 18:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,387 | 1,001 | 2,104 |
| Consensus percentile | 58Lower is better | 58Lower is better | 57Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 49 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 37 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 27 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Carson Newman | Guilford | Cumberland University |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #358 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #165 of 210Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 | #92 of 135Regional univ. (South)Regional Universities (South) · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | Not ranked by this source | #796 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #951 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #867 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1075 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1069 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Carson-Newman University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Guilford College on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Cumberland University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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