Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University Menu Quick Facts On this page Students (2020–2021) Schools and Degrees Accreditation, Honors and Rankings Employment (FY 2020) Athletics Alumni Campus Leadership Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries FutureVU Vanderbilt University Financial Information (FY 2019) Vanderbilt University Research (FY 2019) Vanderbilt University Medical Center Contact Us Founded in 1873 with a $1 million gift from “Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt to establish an institution that would “contribute to strengthening the ties that should exist between all sections of our common country,” today Vanderbilt University is globally renowned for its transformative education and research. The university's 10 schools reside on a parklike campus set in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, providing a collaborative culture that empowers leaders of tomorrow. Top-ranked in both academics and financial aid, Vanderbilt offers an immersive residential undergraduate experience, with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education and human development. The university also is home to nationally and internationally recognized graduate schools of law, education, business, medicine, nursing and divinity, and offers robust graduate-degree programs across a range of disciplines. Vanderbilt is committed to the strength of its interdisciplinary research enterprise and to inclusive excellence, believing that profound breakthroughs happen when scholars of different perspectives, races, gender identities, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds work together. The university's prominent alumni base includes Nobel Prize winners, members of Congress, governors, ambassadors, judges, admirals, CEOs, university presidents, physicians, attorneys, and professional sports figures playing in the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, the PGA and LPGA. Vanderbilt—an independent, privately supported university—and the affiliated nonprofit Vanderbilt University Medical Center engage in frequent cross-disciplinary collaboration to drive innovation and positive change across society at large. Together, the number of people employed by these two organizations exceeds that of the largest private employer in the Middle Tennessee region. Students (2020–2021) ENROLLMENT Undergraduate: Total: 7,057 Full-time: 6,983 Part-time: 74 Graduate and professional: Total: 6,480 Full-time: 5,326 Part-time: 1,154 Total full-time students: 12,309 Total part-time students: 1,228 Total enrollment: 13,537 Men: 6,021 (44%) Women: 7,516 (56%) Percentage of undergraduates receiving some sort of financial aid: 65% Undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1 Undergraduate tuition: $52,780 FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS (FALL 2020) Number of first-year students: 1,698 Men: 49% of the class Women: 51% of the class SAT mid 50% range: 1470–1570 ACT mid 50% range: 33–35 Number of applicants: 36,646 Race and Ethnicity White: 39.5% Asian/Pacific Islander: 18.8% Black: 11.5% Hispanic: 11.1% International: 8.8% Two or more races: 5.7% Race unknown: 4.1% American Indian: 0.4% ENROLLMENT BY SCHOOL (ALL STUDENTS) Blair School of Music: 211 College of Arts and Science: 4,143 Divinity School: 180 Graduate School: 2,243 Law School: 556 Owen Graduate School of Management: 616 Peabody College: 2,461 School of Engineering: 1,526 School of Medicine: 587 School of Nursing: 1,009 Division of Unclassified Studies: 5 REGIONAL BREAKDOWN (ALL STUDENTS) South: 34.3% Midwest: 14.7% New England: 13.8% West: 9.3% Southwest: 8.9% Mid-Atlantic: 7.7% U.S. Territories and Unspecified: 1.0% International: 10.3% DEGREES CONFERRED (SPRING 2020) Baccalaureate: 1,691 Master's: 1,512 Ph.D.: 281 M.D.: 82 Other doctoral: 287 Total degrees conferred: 3,853No honorary degrees are conferred. STUDENT HOUSING Residence halls and apartments: 31 Capacity: 4,398 * Fraternity and sorority houses: 17 Percentage of undergraduates who live on campus (2020–21): 50% ** As the campus de-intensified its student population in 2020–21 to ensure physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this data is markedly different from typical years. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES More than 500 clubs and organizations Sororities: 14 Fraternities: 14 Schools and Degrees College of Arts and Science Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts*, Master of Science*, Master of Fine Arts*, Doctor of Philosophy* College of Arts and Science Blair School of Music Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Musical Arts Blair School of Music Divinity School Master of Theological Studies, Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, Master of Arts*, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Philosophy* Divinity School School of Engineering Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Master of Engineering, Master of Science*, Doctor of Philosophy* School of Engineering Graduate School Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Liberal Arts and Science, Master of Fine Arts, Doctor of Philosophy Graduate School Law School Master of Laws, Doctor of Jurisprudence, Doctor of Philosophy* Law School School of Medicine Master of Science in Medical Physics, Master of Education of the Deaf, Master of Science (Applied Clinical Informatics, Speech-Language Pathology), Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Clinical Investigation, Master of Genetic Counseling, Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy*, Doctor of Audiology, Doctor of Medical Physics School of Medicine School of Nursing Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Philosophy*, Doctor of Nursing Practice School of Nursing Owen Graduate School of Management Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Finance, Master of Accountancy, Master of Management in Health Care, Master of Marketing, Doctor of Philosophy* Owen Graduate School of Management Peabody College of education and human development Bachelor of Science, Master of Education, Master of Public Policy, Master of Science*, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Philosophy* Peabody College of education and human development * These degrees are awarded through the Graduate School. Accreditation, Honors and Rankings Vanderbilt University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, or call (404) 679-4500 with questions about the accreditation of Vanderbilt University. Vanderbilt is a member of the Association of American Universities. Nobel Laureates Al Gore Jr., former U.S. vice president; attended Graduate School 1973; attended Law School 1977: awarded 2007 Peace Prize for efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change and to lay foundations to counteract such change Muhammad Yunus, Ph.D. 1971: awarded 2006 Peace Prize for establishing the Grameen Bank and pioneering the practice of providing microloans to the impoverished Stanley Cohen, Vanderbilt biochemistry professor (1959–90): awarded 1986 Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery with a colleague of epidermal growth factor Stanford Moore, B.A. 1935: awarded 1972 Prize in Chemistry for fundamental contributions to the understanding of enzyme chemistry Earl Sutherland Jr., Vanderbilt physiology professor (1963–73): awarded 1971 Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the metabolic regulating compound cyclic AMP Max Delbruck,Vanderbilt physics professor (1940–47): awarded 1969 Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries concerning the replication mechanism and the genetic structure of viruses Rankings U.S. News & World Report (2021) General: 14 — National Universities 9 — Best Value Schools 12 — Learning Communities 12 — Service Learning 12 — Best Undergraduate Teaching 23 — Most Innovative Schools Graduate Schools, Academic Programs (2020): 1 — Special Education (Peabody College) 1 — Educational Administration and Supervision (Peabody) 1 — Audiology (School of Medicine) 1 — Speech–Language Pathology (Medicine) 1 — Nurse-Midwifery (School of Nursing) 1 — Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Practitioner: Adult/Gerontology, Acute Care 1 — Nurse Practitioner: Psychiatric/Mental Health 3 — Nurse Practitioner: Family 3 — Nurse Practitioner: Adult/Gerontology, Acute and Primary Care 3 — Nurse Practitioner: Pediatric, Primary Care 3 — Doctor of Nursing Practice Administration 3 — Nursing Informatics 3 — Education Policy (Peabody) 4 — Graduate Schools of Education (Peabody) 4 — Educational Psychology (Peabody) 4 — Doctor of Nursing Practice Leadership 5 — Elementary Teacher Education (Peabody) 5 — Secondary Teacher Education (Peabody) 7 — Curriculum and Instruction (Peabody) 8 — Nursing Administration 9 — Nursing Schools: Master's 10 — Criminal Law (Law School) 11 — World's Top Universities for Oncology (Medicine) 14 — Graduate Programs in American Politics 18 — Medical Schools: Research 18 — Law Schools 18 — Clinical Psychology (A&S/Peabody) 23 — Graduate Business Schools (Owen Graduate School of Management) 23 — Graduate Programs in History 24 — Graduate Programs in Political Science 26 — World's Top Universities for Clinical Medicine 26 — Graduate Programs in Psychology 27 — Graduate Programs in Biological Sciences 27 — Graduate Programs in English 31 — Medical Schools: Primary Care 32 — World's Top Universities for Surgery (Medicine) 32 — Graduate Programs in Sociology 34 — Undergraduate Engineering Schools (School of Engineering) 35 — Graduate Programs in Economics 39 — Graduate Engineering Schools Money (2020) 15 — Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value The Princeton Review (2021) 1 — Students Love Their College, Great Financial Aid 2 — Happiest Students, Best Quality of Life, Best-Run Colleges, College City Gets High Marks, Most Beautiful Campus 3 — Best Counseling Services, Town–Gown Relations Are Great 4 — Best Athletic Facilities Employment (FY 2020) TOTAL VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY STAFF: 4,470 Full time: 4,044 Part time: 426 TOTAL VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY FACULTY: 4,783 Full time: 4,358 Employed by Vanderbilt University: 1,466 Employed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center: 2,892 Part time: 425 Employed by Vanderbilt University: 324 Employed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center: 101 VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY FACULTY, BY SCHOOL: School of Medicine: 3,094 Basic Sciences: 202 University faculty employed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center: 2,892 College of Arts and Science: 595 School of Engineering: 176 Peabody College: 171 School of Nursing: 140 Blair School of Music: 56 Law School: 48 Owen Graduate School of Management: 48 Divinity School: 30 Faculty with terminal degrees: 96% Total Employment, Vanderbilt University: 9,253* * Vanderbilt University Medical Center is an independent nonprofit organization. Total employment figure represents only faculty and staff of Vanderbilt University, plus Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty appointed by the university. Athletics Conference memberships: Southeastern Conference (Eastern Division) Southland Bowling League American Athletic Conference (Lacrosse) Men's varsity teams: Baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis Women's varsity teams: Basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field National championships: Bowling (2007, 2018) Baseball (2014, 2019) Women's tennis (2015) Seating capacity: Memorial Gymnasium (basketball): 14,316 Vanderbilt Stadium (football): 40,350 Charles Hawkins Field (baseball): 3,626 School colors: black and gold Mascot: Commodore, Mr. C Alumni Number of living alumni: 147,396 Number of alumni residing in Nashville area: 22,933 Alumni Association founded: 1879 Number of alumni chapters worldwide: 42 Learn more at the Alumni website. Campus Located a mile and a half southwest of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt is home to more than 300 tree and shrub varieties and was designated an arboretum in 1988. The oldest building on the original campus was constructed around 1859. The Peabody College section of campus has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark since 1966. Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, located about 9 miles from campus, also is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 340.7 acres 179 buildings Total physical plant: 12.0 million square feet Real-estate managed (61 buildings): 2.9 million square feet Campus map | Vicinity map Leadership The Board of Trust is the governing body of the university. The chancellor, who is chosen by the Board of Trust, is the chief executive officer of the university. Daniel Diermeier is chancellor of Vanderbilt University. Board of Trust General Officers Deans of the Schools and Colleges Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries Vanderbilt University’s Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries collect, manage and provide access to information. Comprised of nine libraries, the Heard Libraries rank among the top 50 research libraries in the nation and are home to extensive physical collections, databases, e-books, journals and archival materials. The oldest item in the Special Collections Library dates to 2500 B.C.E. In addition to materials in support of Vanderbilt’s research and curriculum, special collections strengths include the W.T. Bandy Center for Baudelaire and Modern French Studies; the Emmy Award–winning Television News Archive; the Southern Literature and Culture Collection; Latin American collections for Brazil, Colombia, the Andes, Mesoamerica and Argentina; the U.S. Playing Card Company Collection; and the Global Music Archive. The flagship Central Library was built in 1941, enlarged in 1969 and renovated in 2010. It is a LEED gold-certified, 21st-century center for intellectual and community activity. The Peabody Education Library, which opened in 1919, is housed in a historic Carnegie library building. FutureVU FutureVU is Vanderbilt University’s comprehensive land-use planning initiative, launched in 2015. It provides a framework for campus development during the next 20 to 30 years in line with themes such as diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, connectivity and community enhancement, increased development and traffic around campus, and preservation of the historic, parklike campus setting—all in support of Vanderbilt’s Academic Strategic Plan. FutureVU is guided by the values that relate directly to Vanderbilt’s core mission of teaching, research and discovery, ensuring that the fundamental principles the university cherishes are manifest in its physical surroundings. Vanderbilt University Financial Information (FY 2019) Total Net Assets: $6.7 billion Endowment Market value: $6.3 billion Endowment payout: 5% Endowment per student: $488,995 Unrestricted Operating Activity: Operating Expenses by Function Instruction and academic support: 39.4%* Support activities: 29.6% Research and public service: 20.7%* Student service: 10.4%* * Represents a program expense Operating Revenues by Source Net tuition, fees, room, board, other auxiliary: 30.6% Gifts and endowment distributions: 22.0% Grants and contracts: 17.4% Affiliated entity revenue: 12.4% Investment income and other: 10.0% Trademarks, licenses and royalties: 7.5% View the 2019 Financial Report. Vanderbilt University Research (FY 2019) Total research expenditures funding: $249 million Sponsored research and project awards: $279 million Vanderbilt University Medical Center Managing more than 2 million patient visits each year, Vanderbilt University Medical Center is an independent, nonprofit corporation that shares Vanderbilt University's respected name and collaborates closely with the university through education and research. With the only Level 1 (highest level) trauma center in Middle Tennessee, the region's only Level 4 (highest level) neonatal intensive care unit, and the state's only dedicated burn center serving adults and children, VUMC includes Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital, The Vanderbilt Clinic, and Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks. VUMC also helps coordinate care through the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network of more than 6,100 clinicians, 70 hospitals, 15 health systems, and 120 drop-in and urgent-care clinics throughout Tennessee and surrounding states, creating the largest health care network in the region. Contact Us Contact Us Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. It offers 70 undergraduate majors and a full range of graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, all on a beautiful campus—an accredited arboretum—complete with athletic facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories. Vanderbilt is optimized to inspire and nurture cross-disciplinary research that fosters discoveries that have global impact. University Leadership Residential Colleges Equity, Diversity and Inclusion This Is Vanderbilt Research@Vanderbilt Working at Vanderbilt Events Logins Campus Map Media Resources Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram YouTube TikTok Nashville, Tennessee 37240 615-322-7311 • Contact Us Vanderbilt University is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. Accessibility information. Vanderbilt®, Vanderbilt University® and the V Oak Leaf Design® are trademarks of The Vanderbilt University. Site Development: Digital Strategies (Communications and Marketing.) © 2021