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Sullivan University

Private for-profit Louisville, KY · Urban · Southeast · 80% data
B Diversity C Graduation C- Earnings
Graduation Rate
56% C
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$38,008 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$25,532 D
49% more than the typical college
Enrollment
2,026
Earnings -7% vs avg
Graduation -2% vs avg
Net Price 49% vs avg
Mobility Top 99%

Bottom line: A D+ overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 8.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $8.3 over 20 years.

8.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $8.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $745,479.

What The Data Says

  1. A D+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Every $1 invested returns $8.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Sullivan University Matters

Sullivan University is a private for-profit university in Louisville, KY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private for-profit University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
2,026
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Culinary & Personal Services, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Sullivan University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

D+
Top 68% overall
C-
Earnings
$38,008 median
D
Value
1.5× net price
D
Affordability
$25,532/yr net
C
Graduation
56% graduate
F
Social Mobility
0.1% climb Q1→Q5
B
Diversity
0.69 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Sullivan University in Louisville, KY, is a solid choice for students interested in practical fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Culinary Arts, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice. With an enrollment of 2,026, it caters to individuals looking for focused programs that lead directly to careers. What stands out is the hands-on approach to education, which prepares students for real-world challenges in their chosen fields.

Looking at life after graduation, the earnings data shows that graduates can expect an average income of about $38,008 within a decade of finishing their studies. This figure reflects the potential for upward mobility, especially for those who are determined to advance in their careers. With 56% of students receiving Pell Grants, the financial support available helps make the transition from student to professional a bit easier.

When considering the financial aspects, the net price after aid is around $25,532, which is manageable compared to many other institutions. The median debt for graduates is about $20,000, a figure that many find reasonable in relation to their earnings potential. Students who thrive here often appreciate the focused, career-oriented programs and a supportive environment that encourages them to succeed in their chosen paths.

Can I Get In?

How selective Sullivan University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Sullivan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Sullivan University, located in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.

Full-Time Faculty
60%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,490
Student–Faculty Ratio
13:1
Diversity Index
0.69
First-Gen Students
49%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Sullivan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Sullivan University is $15,480, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $25,532. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $24,325 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $20,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$15,480
Out-of-State
$15,480
Avg Net Price
$25,532
Median Debt
$20,000
Pell Grant Rate
56%
Federal Loan Rate
62%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$24,325
Family Income $30K–$48K
$30,628
Family Income $48K–$75K
$30,751
Family Income $110K+
$31,735

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Sullivan University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Sullivan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Sullivan University report median earnings of $38,008, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$34,516
8 Years
$35,849
10 Years
$38,008
Debt-to-Earnings
0.53x
Earning > $25K
51%

Earnings Trajectory

$34,516 6yr $35,849 8yr $38,008 10yr

How Sullivan Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation56%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$26KMedian Debt$20KPell Grant Rate56%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$24K$0-30K$31K$30-48K$31K$48-75K$32K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%27700.0%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%0.4%MOBILITY0.11%

College ROI Calculator

Is Sullivan University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Sullivan University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,532/year ($102,128 total). Graduates earn $38,008 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $847,607 in total earnings — a net gain of $745,479 (8.3× your investment). The median debt is $20,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 56% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$102,128
Projected 20yr Earnings
$847,607
Net Return
$745,479
ROI Multiple
8.3×
Cost Per Year
$25,532
Median Debt
$20,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
56%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Sullivan University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Sullivan University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.11%, a more modest figure. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 27700% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 0.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder.

Mobility Rate
0.11%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
0.4%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
27700.0%
Share of students

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Sullivan University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Sullivan University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.21, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.21
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
8.5%
Support Ratio
0.94
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields Sullivan University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Sullivan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Sullivan University, located in Louisville, Kentucky, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Sullivan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Sullivan University is $15,480, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $25,532. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $24,325 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $20,000 in federal student loans.

Is Sullivan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Sullivan University report median earnings of $38,008, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Sullivan University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Sullivan University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.11%, a more modest figure. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 27700% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 0.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder.

How Connected Is Sullivan University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Sullivan University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.21, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Sullivan University.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys