Mars Hill University
Mars Hill University is a private research university in Mars Hill, North Carolina, enrolling about 1,044 students. Admission is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of about 67.90% in federal reporting data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $44,781 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $37,736
- 2024 Average Net Price: $19,910 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 67.90% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,044 95.4% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 44.87%
Mars Hill University: what the data shows
Common questions about Mars Hill University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Mars Hill University?
Mars Hill University is located in Mars Hill, NC (ZIP 28754).
Is Mars Hill University public or private?
Mars Hill University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Mars Hill University cost?
Published tuition: $37,736.
Average net price after aid: $19,910.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $17,021 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $17,020 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $20,628 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $21,637 |
| $110,001+ | $21,972 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $150,944.
How hard is it to get into Mars Hill University?
Admission rate: 67.90%.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Mars Hill University?
Total enrollment: 1,044 students.
About 95% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Mars Hill University?
150%-time completion rate: 44.87%.
First-year retention: 69.3%.
What do graduates of Mars Hill University earn?
Median earnings: $35,680 six years after entry; $44,781 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $26,000.
46.21% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Mars Hill University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (258 completions)
- CIP 520201 (68 completions)
- Criminal Justice & Corrections (25 completions)
- General Psychology (18 completions)
- Health Professions and Related Programs (16 completions)
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research (14 completions)
- CIP 260701 (13 completions)
- Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (12 completions)
- Social Work (11 completions)
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (10 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Mars Hill University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 67.90%; completion rate 44.87%; median earnings $44,781 at 10 years; net price $19,910. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$37,736
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Mars Hill University was $37,736.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$19,910
2024 Value
In 2024 Mars Hill University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $19,910.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$79,640 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$19,910 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$150,944 4-Year Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Mars Hill University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
46.21% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
62.08% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Mars Hill University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Mars Hill University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $25,636 | $25,636 | $16,626 |
| 2014 | $27,590 | $27,590 | $17,523 |
| 2015 | $29,382 | $29,382 | $16,789 |
| 2016 | $30,534 | $30,534 | $17,373 |
| 2017 | $31,804 | $31,804 | $17,078 |
| 2018 | $32,968 | $32,968 | $16,053 |
| 2019 | $34,118 | $34,118 | $18,735 |
| 2020 | $35,052 | $35,052 | $19,374 |
| 2021 | $35,655 | $35,655 | $19,513 |
| 2022 | $36,557 | $36,557 | $17,796 |
| 2023 | $37,270 | $37,270 | $20,313 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
67.90% Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
95.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Mars Hill University in 2024 is 1,044 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
69.3%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
33.84% 100% Completion Time
44.87% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 33.84% of students graduating from Mars Hill University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Mars Hill University.
Return on Investment
$26,000 Median Student Debt
$44,781 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
58.06% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
462.29% Return on Investment
5.8 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Mars Hill University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
CIP 52.0201: 68 completions
Criminal Justice & Corrections: 25 completions
General Psychology: 18 completions
Health Professions and Related Programs: 16 completions
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research: 14 completions
CIP 26.0701: 13 completions
Parks, Recreation, & Leisure: 12 completions
Social Work: 11 completions
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods: 10 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 258 completions
Most popular programs at Mars Hill University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Mars Hill University graduates.
About
Mars Hill University is a private non-profit institution located in Mars Hill, NC, offering 30 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 1,044 students. The admission rate is 67.90%. The institution maintains a 44.87% graduation rate. Approximately 46.21% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Location
Mars Hill, NC 28754
Region: Southeast
Insights and Analysis
Mars Hill University provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
FAQ
How much does Mars Hill University cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $37,736 and average net price is $19,910 in the latest College Scorecard data.
How hard is it to get into Mars Hill University?
The admission rate is 67.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data.
What do graduates of Mars Hill University earn?
Median earnings are $35,680 six years after entry and $44,781 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Mars Hill University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 44.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Mars Hill University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $26,000.
How big is Mars Hill University?
Total enrollment is about 1,044 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Mars Hill University public or private?
Mars Hill University is a private nonprofit institution located in Mars Hill, NC.
Is Mars Hill University an HBCU?
No. Mars Hill University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Mars Hill University a tribal college?
No. Mars Hill University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Mars Hill University a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Mars Hill University does not meet that proxy (reported share 9.5%).
Is Mars Hill University religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Mars Hill University in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.