McKendree University
McKendree University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
McKendree University Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Illinois
- #2 Best Online Associate Degree Programs in Illinois
- #8 Best Online Business Management Bachelors
- #9 Best Online MBAs Illinois
- #15 Online Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity
- #16 Best Christian Colleges in Illinois 2026
- #20 Online Bachelor’s in Sports Management
- #21 Illinois' Best Online Colleges 2026
- #22 Best Small Colleges in Illinois
- #23 Nursing Liberal Arts Colleges
- #23 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois
- #23 Online Bachelor’s in Sociology
- #23 Best Grad Schools Illinois 2026
- #25 Best Colleges in Illinois
- #25 Illinois's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #25 Best Private Colleges in Illinois
About McKendree University
According to Wikipedia, McKendree University is a private university in Lebanon, Illinois. Founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary, it is the oldest college or university in Illinois. McKendree enrolls approximately 1,960 students representing 25 countries and 29 states. In the undergraduate program, on average there are 51% females and 49% males. The institution remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The school was renamed McKendree University beginning in the 2007–08 academic year. McKendree University comprises a College of Arts and Science, a School of Business, a School of Health Professions, and a School of Education.
McKendree University's Online Degrees
Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing
- Required Credits: 12
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Corporate Finance
- Required Credits: 15
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: 15
- Format: Fully online
Graduate Certificate in Cyber Defense
- Required Credits: 12
- Format: Fully online
MA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 30
- Completion Time: 1-2 years
- Format: Fully online
McKendree University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,652 | 72% | 67% | 51% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does McKendree University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $35,430 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $17,238 |
| 30K - 48K | $14,121 |
| 48K - 75K | $15,064 |
| 75K - 110K | $19,547 |
| 110K+ | $22,944 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do McKendree University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former McKendree University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $63,391 a year, and 95% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
McKendree University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 2,510 | 1,846 | 664 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is McKendree University?
McKendree University is located at 701 College Rd, Lebanon, IL 62254-1291.
How Safe is McKendree University?
Relative to its enrollment, McKendree University has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of 0.08%. Lebanon has a violent crime rate of 0.09% and a property crime rate of 0.22%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is McKendree University Known For?
McKendree University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Education
- Business
- Sociology
- History
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Medical
- Economics
- Mathematics
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Biology
McKendree University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much McKendree University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
McKendree University ranks #132 in the U.S. and #327 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesMcKendree University ranks #688 in the U.S. and #1784 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesMcKendree University ranks #954 in the U.S. and #4142 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesMcKendree University ranks #974 in the U.S. and #3659 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1331 in the U.S. and #4226 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1357 in the U.S. and #4333 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1414 in the U.S. and #6535 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1435 in the U.S. and #5400 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1488 in the U.S. and #5104 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1606 in the U.S. and #7433 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1607 in the U.S. and #6052 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1671 in the U.S. and #7056 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1704 in the U.S. and #6888 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1741 in the U.S. and #6387 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesMcKendree University ranks #1797 in the U.S. and #5541 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesMcKendree University ranks #2035 in the U.S. and #6872 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesMcKendree University ranks #2221 in the U.S. and #8907 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology Degrees