Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Bristol, Tennessee
54.4% Acceptance Rate
King University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
54.4%Acceptance Rate
3.46Avg GPA
1080Avg SAT
$47,469Annual Cost
$59,831Grad Salary
41.9%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
54.4%
Avg GPA
3.46
Avg SAT
1080
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%
1040–1110
Need-Based Aid
41.9% receive Pell
King University, founded in 1867 in Bristol, Tennessee, offers Christ-centered programs in health sciences, business, and digital media. Known for its accelerated degree options and online programs.
The 135-acre campus features the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Memorial Chapel, and the Student Center Complex. King's location in the Appalachian Highlands provides unique outdoor education opportunities.
King University Acceptance Rate
At 54.4%, admission to King University is achievable for most students who meet the basic academic profile.
What King University 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 — 54.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.46 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.26 – 3.45
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.01
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
King University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
King University follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
King University reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (February 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.
King University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at King University is 3.46. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.16–3.46 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Note the scale: this figure reflects an unweighted 4.0 GPA. Add AP or IB coursework and the equivalent weighted GPA usually lands around 3.66–3.86.King University 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
3.46 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.26 – 3.45
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.06 – 3.25
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.05
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Overall acceptance rate is effectively open (~99?100% per multiple IPEDS-sourced reports); test scores are optional for general admission; no supplemental essay required; rolling admissions.
- Nursing BSN requires a separate NursingCAS application, 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA, all science prerequisites at C or better, and ATI TEAS exam with program-defined benchmark scores in overall and science subscores; students who fail two nursing courses cannot reapply.
- BSN graduates with a 3.5 GPA can access guaranteed admission to the MSN program (FNP, PMHNP, AGACNP concentrations); Tennessee residents in the PMHNP track may qualify for the Tennessee Behavioral Pathways scholarship of up to $30,000 over two years.
- NCAA Division II member, Conference Carolinas, with 25+ varsity sports and no football program; Bristol sits on the Tennessee-Virginia state line in the Tri-Cities metro (pop. ~450,000) with access to the Appalachian Trail, South Holston River fly fishing, and Cherokee National Forest.
- 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 King University
Admission Chance Predictor
Built from King 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.
King University Test Requirements
Scores aren't just a formality at King University — landing within or above the 2026 admitted class's middle 50% keeps you fully competitive, even where submission is optional.
Can I Get Into King University Without SAT or ACT?
King University neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average — otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
King University Average SAT Score: 1080
Admitted students at King University average a 1080 SAT (out of 1600).
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1080 — Accessible
A 1080 average means even a modest SAT score can strengthen your application.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1110 SAT) to stand out. Below average? King University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
Scored under 1040? A retake is worth it at King University — 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 | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1080 | 1040 | 1110 |
A score under 1040 puts you in the lower quarter of admits; 1110+ 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 1100
Can I get into King University with a 1100 SAT?
At 1100, your SAT is squarely in King University'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.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for King University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into King University isn't the hard part — building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
General Admission Is Open-Access - Nursing and Select Programs Are Not
King's undergraduate acceptance rate is effectively open (reported at or near 100% by multiple sources), and general admission requires only a high school transcript with no supplemental essay and test scores listed as optional. The nursing BSN is an entirely different story: it requires a separate NursingCAS application (with a $50 fee), a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher across all coursework, all prerequisite science courses completed with a C or better, and the ATI TEAS entrance exam with program-specific benchmark scores. Admitted nursing students who later fail two nursing courses become ineligible to reapply to the BSN program. Understand before choosing King as your nursing school that the institutional acceptance rate and the nursing program selectivity are not the same metric.
Use the BSN-to-MSN Guaranteed Admission Pathway If You Have a Long-Term NP Goal
King offers guaranteed admission to its MSN program for BSN graduates who finish their undergraduate degree at King with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and a clean academic record (no sanctions within the nursing program). This is a meaningful structural benefit: students who arrive as freshmen with a career goal of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner, PMHNP, or AGACNP can map a continuous 4+2 pathway at one institution without a separate, competitive graduate application cycle. For Tennessee residents entering the MSN-PMHNP track, the Tennessee Behavioral Pathways scholarship provides up to $30,000 in tuition aid over two years - a combination worth planning around from day one.
Chapel Credit Is a Real Graduation Requirement - Build It Into Your Four-Year Plan
All traditional King undergraduates are required to earn 14 chapel, convocation, or community service credit hours per semester. This is not a one-time orientation requirement or an optional enrichment program - it is a graduation-bearing obligation that runs every semester of enrollment. The requirement reflects King's Presbyterian heritage and integrated faith-and-learning identity, which also includes the King Institute for Faith and Culture, student mission trips, and required religion coursework. Applicants who see King purely as a low-barrier nursing or business entry point without accounting for this environment are consistently among the students who struggle with campus culture fit.
The Dual Degree Engineering Program and Pre-Professional Tracks Are Underutilized by Non-Nursing Applicants
King offers a 3+2 dual degree partnership in Engineering (with specific partner institutions) alongside pre-professional tracks in medicine, law, pharmacy, and health sciences. The institution's small size means pre-professional students work closely with faculty advisors rather than navigating large pre-med bureaucracies. King was ranked by Money Magazine as one of the best colleges in America in 2023 and ranked by the New York Times 21st nationally for supporting mid-to-low-income students - a combination of value and outcomes recognition that is genuinely underreported compared to what the near-100% acceptance rate would imply.
Expert Insight:
The most consistent failure pattern at King's nursing program involves students who complete prerequisites at the minimum C threshold and then struggle with the TEAS benchmark scores required for nursing program entry. Meeting the university's open-access admission standard does not mean a student is nursing-ready - the TEAS has specific subscores in science and overall that must both be met, and students who have not taken high school or college-level sciences recently often underperform. Starting TEAS preparation well before the application window, not after acceptance to King, is the critical timing difference.
King University Profile
Full Name
King University
City
Bristol
State
Tennessee
ZIP Code
37620-2699
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a King University Degree Worth It?
Whether King University 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 $48,400, and graduates see a 2.97% unemployment rate.
How much does a degree from King University Cost?
Listed tuition runs $47,469/year at King University; factor in Pell and federal grant aid and most students land typically much lower.
At King University, 41.9% receive a Pell Grant and 64.5% carry federal loans. Filing FAFSA early and naming King University on it improves your shot at both.
How much does a King University Graduate earn?
Ten years out from enrollment, King University graduates report a median income of $59,831, about 47% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than King University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, AL | 1055 | 21 |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion, AL | 1043 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, AR | 1049 | 21 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | Magnolia, AR | 1050 | 20 |
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Fort Smith, AR | 1050 | 21 |
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, CO | 1070 | 23 |
| Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, CT | 1044 | 24 |
| Baptist University of Florida | Graceville, FL | 1045 | 20 |
| Florida College | Temple Terrace, FL | 1068 | 19 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as King University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery, AL | 1090 | 21 |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, AL | 1090 | 22 |
| Troy University | Troy, AL | 1086 | 22 |
| University of the Ozarks | Clarksville, AR | 1088 | 21 |
| Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO | 1084 | 20 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than King University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
Degree Programs at King University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About King University Admissions
King University graduates earn a moderate median salary of $59,831/year, with some variation by field.
Tuition at King University is moderate, around $47,469/year; many students supplement with aid.
41.9% of King University students get a Pell Grant. Your odds depend mostly on household income — filing FAFSA early still helps maximize what you're offered.
King University's acceptance rate is 54.4%, comparatively higher than most selective universities — admission is more attainable here.
The average GPA of admitted King University students is 3.46, reflecting a competitive applicant pool.
There's no strict cutoff, but a GPA at or above 3.16 puts you in the standard applicant pool at King University. Below that, your essays and recommendations need to work harder to provide context.
A GPA of 3.06 or below makes admission tougher at King University, but strong test scores, activities, and essays — plus AP/IB coursework — can still keep you in contention.
King University weighs the SAT heavily. Scoring above 1080, and within the 1040–1110 range, keeps you competitive.
King University follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
For priority financial aid consideration, get your FAFSA in before February 1, 2026 — that's King 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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