Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Milligan, Tennessee
70.3% Acceptance Rate
Milligan University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
70.3%Acceptance Rate
3.69Avg GPA
1195Avg SAT
24Avg ACT
$49,850Annual Cost
$46,641Grad Salary
23.4%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
70.3%
Avg GPA
3.69
Avg SAT
1195
Avg ACT
24
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
1120–1290
ACT Middle 50%
21–27
Need-Based Aid
23.4% receive Pell
Milligan University, established in 1866 in Milligan, Tennessee, is a private Christian university ranked #21 in Regional Colleges South by U.S. News. Offering programs in theology, business, and health sciences, Milligan integrates faith with learning through its Christian Leadership' core. The 195-acre campus features the Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts and a new nursing simulation lab.
Milligan's location near Johnson City provides internships in healthcare and ministry. The university emphasizes service, with mission trips and Appalachian outreach programs. NCAA Division II athletics and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio foster a supportive community.
Milligan University Acceptance Rate
At 70.3%, admission to Milligan University is achievable for most students who meet the basic academic profile.
What Milligan Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 70.3% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.69 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.49 – 3.68
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.24
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Milligan University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Mark November 1 for Milligan University (Early Action I — other plans are listed below), with decisions typically out by November 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 98 days left — Early Action I
Early Action I
November 1
Decision by: November 15
Early Action II
December 1
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
February 1
Decision by: February 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (December 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Milligan GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Milligan is 3.69. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.39 and 3.69? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.89–4.09.Milligan GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective, with solid academic performance as the expectation.
Recommended Strategy: A clear, defined strength in one activity or research area matters more than breadth.
This range is a rough map — where you land determines what else needs to carry weight in your application:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.69 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.49 – 3.68
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.29 – 3.48
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.28
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate: approximately 65?72% (IPEDS 2024-25: 72%); rolling admissions; $30 application fee waivable with code APPLYNOW; no essay or letters of recommendation required for first-year students; test-optional (ACT/SAT considered if submitted).
- FAFSA priority deadline for financial aid is March 1; undergraduate tuition is frozen for the third consecutive year as of 2026; 9:1 student-faculty ratio across approximately 800 undergraduates.
- Milligan's physician assistant graduate program (MSPAS) posted a 100% first-time PANCE pass rate for its Class of 2026; PA, OT (MSOT), nursing, and Emmanuel Christian Seminary are all fully operational on a single 355-acre campus in the Tri-Cities region of northeast Tennessee near Johnson City.
- Emmanuel Christian Seminary operates on campus and offers undergraduates cross-registration for seminary credit and advanced standing; Milligan is named not for its founder or its location, but for a professor, Robert Milligan - a distinction that resonates in visit and essay conversations about the school's intellectual heritage.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: Course rigor is read alongside the number itself — a 3.8 with a demanding schedule can beat a 4.0 without one.
- Trajectory Matters: Grades that climb toward graduation tend to matter more than a flat average — the trajectory tells its own story.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Milligan
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from Milligan University's own verified admissions data — adjust the sliders below
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Milligan University (Milligan) Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at Milligan — landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into Milligan Without SAT or ACT?
Milligan considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
Milligan University Average SAT Score: 1195
Admitted students at Milligan University average a 1195 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1195 — Less Competitive
A 1195 average leaves meaningful room above it for a competitive application.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1290 SAT or 27 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Milligan University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 1120? A retake is worth it at Milligan — two or three sittings is standard for competitive applicants, and there's no cap on how many times you can test.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 595 | 540 | 650 |
| SAT Reading | 610 | 580 | 640 |
| SAT Composite | 1195 | 1120 | 1290 |
A score under 1120 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1290+ puts you ahead of three-quarters of the admitted class. (These percentiles mark where a given share of the admitted class scored at or below.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1200
Can I get into Milligan University (Milligan) with a 1300 SAT?
At 1300, your SAT is squarely in Milligan's favor. That said, admissions staff read the full file — GPA, activities, and essays still carry real weight even with a strong score in hand.
Milligan University (Milligan) ACT Requirements
Milligan's admitted students average an ACT of 24.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 24 — Slightly Competitive
An average of 24 tracks near the middle of the national distribution.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 23 | 20 | 26 |
| ACT English | 25 | 21 | 28 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 21 | 27 |
Can I get into Milligan University with a 27 ACT?
At 27, you're in the top quarter of Milligan's admitted class by ACT score. That's a real advantage, but admissions still reads GPA, essays, and activities alongside it.
The ACT's four sections — English, Math, Reading, Science — are each scored independently on a 1–36 scale, and admissions staff do notice a lopsided breakdown. If one section trails the others significantly, that's worth addressing before you apply, particularly for STEM programs where Science carries extra weight.
Beyond the number itself, Milligan weighs your transcript rigor, activities, recommendations, and essays just as heavily — the ACT opens the door, the rest of your file decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Milligan
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Milligan isn't the hard part — building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Apply With the Fee Waiver Code - Then Apply Early for Aid
Milligan has rolling admissions with a $30 application fee that is fully waivable using the code APPLYNOW - there is no deadline for that waiver, but students should confirm current availability when applying. No essay, no letters of recommendation, and no test scores are required for first-year admission; the Common App listing confirms this. However, the FAFSA priority date for financial aid is March 1, and Milligan's merit scholarship pool is competitive - students who apply in fall of senior year receive aid decisions much faster and can stack institutional scholarships more easily than spring applicants. The low application friction makes earlier submission strictly better.
Know the Faith Expectation Before You Enroll
Milligan is affiliated with the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, and the campus life is built around that identity: chapel services center on Seeger Memorial Chapel, weekly vespers is a campus institution, and the academic culture explicitly frames learning as preparation for faith-driven service. The College of Bible and Ministry is a full school within the university, and Emmanuel Christian Seminary operates on campus, allowing undergraduates to cross-register for seminary credit and earn advanced standing. Students who want faith-integrated academics will find the community exceptionally cohesive; students who want a secular or religiously neutral environment will feel this mismatch acutely within the first semester.
Target the Health Sciences Pipeline if Grades Support It
Milligan runs an unusually dense cluster of health sciences programs for a university of 800 undergraduates: an accredited Nursing program (CCNE), a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (ARC-PA accredited, with a 100% first-time PANCE pass rate for the Class of 2026), a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (ACOTE accredited), and a Social Work program in candidacy with CSWE. Pre-health undergraduates at Milligan have direct access to these graduate programs, shorter pathways to clinical training, and faculty mentors across multiple disciplines in one small campus footprint. A student committed to healthcare and Christian mission should discuss guaranteed or priority admission pathways to these graduate programs directly with an admissions counselor.
Use the Tuition Freeze in Your Financial Comparison
As of spring 2026, Milligan announced it is holding undergraduate tuition flat for the third consecutive year - a meaningful data point in a financial aid comparison where sticker prices at peer institutions are climbing 3?5% annually. The 9:1 student-faculty ratio and strong merit aid availability (over 90% of students receive financial assistance) mean the actual net cost is frequently lower than comparably sized Christian liberal arts colleges in the South. Help families run the net price calculator and compare the Milligan aid package against schools with similar religious missions but higher published tuition increases.
Expert Insight:
Milligan's sharpest failure pattern is students who choose it primarily for the faith community without vetting whether their intended career program is the right fit at this institution's scale. The university is genuinely strong in health sciences and ministry; it is more limited in specialized engineering tracks and research infrastructure despite recent mechanical and electrical engineering program additions. A student who enrolls for Milligan's spiritual community but needs a large research university for their science goals often transfers by sophomore year - the community warmth doesn't compensate for a program mismatch.
Milligan Profile
Full Name
Milligan University (Milligan)
City
Milligan
State
Tennessee
ZIP Code
37682
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Milligan Degree Worth It?
Whether Milligan is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
Admitted students' families report a median household income around $54,800, and graduates see a 3% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from Milligan Cost?
Listed tuition runs $49,850/year at Milligan; factor in Pell and federal grant aid and most students land typically much lower.
At Milligan, 23.4% receive a Pell Grant and 49% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming Milligan on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a Milligan Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, Milligan graduates report a median income of $46,641, about 15% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Milligan University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1182 | 25 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 1150 | 24 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | 1149 | 23 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | 1184 | 24 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Milligan University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Milligan University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
Degree Programs at Milligan
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Milligan Admissions
Milligan University graduates earn a lower median salary of $46,641/year, especially outside technical fields.
Tuition at Milligan University is moderate, around $49,850/year; many students supplement with aid.
23.4% receive a Pell Grant here, below the ~35% national average — Milligan University skews toward higher-income students, though merit aid may still be worth checking.
Milligan University's acceptance rate is 70.3%, comparatively higher than most selective universities — admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted Milligan University students is 3.69, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 3.39 puts you in the standard applicant pool at Milligan University. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 3.29 or below makes admission tougher at Milligan University, but strong test scores, activities, and essays — plus AP/IB coursework — can still keep you in contention.
Milligan University weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 1195, and within the 1120–1290 range, keeps you competitive.
Milligan University's deadline is November 1 (Early Action I), with decisions out by November 15.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before December 1, 2026 — that's Milligan University's scholarship priority date.
Transferring in is a well-trodden path here. Line up your transcripts, recommendations, and a strong personal statement before applying.
The biggest levers are academic performance, a clear extracurricular focus, and essays that stand out — plus a solid test score where the school considers one.
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