Lee University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Lee University is a private college in Tennessee that admits most qualified applicants (around 71%), which puts it in the moderately selective range. A rate like this means it admits more applicants than it rejects; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Lee University weighs, where it ranks among Tennessee schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1150, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Lee University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Lee University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Lee University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Lee University?
At Lee University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 71% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Lee University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Lee University hard to get into?
Lee University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 71% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Lee University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Lee University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Lee University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Lee University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Lee University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Lee University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1140 SAT?
About 91% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1140 SAT, the middle of Lee University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1230 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/lee-university.
How to get into Lee University
Built from Lee University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Lee University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Lee University carries about a 3.22 core GPA and a 1180 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1040 to 1230 SAT (20 to 27 ACT). Submit a score at 1135 or higher; below 1040, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Lee University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Lee University's exact dates at www.leeuniversity.edu.
How many students apply to Lee University, and how many get in?
2,150 students applied to Lee University for fall 2023; 1,552 were admitted (72.2%). 553 enrolled. Roughly 36% of admitted students enrolled, a typical yield for a school in this range. Lee University enrolls about 2,617 undergraduates in total, 61% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Lee University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Lee University scored between 1040 and 1230 on the SAT (average 1145). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 20 to 27. A score above 1230 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1040 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Lee University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Lee University looks for
What Lee University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Lee University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Lee University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Lee University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Lee University cost after financial aid?
Lee University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $35,688 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $23,790. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,878 a year, and it ranges from $12,834 for families earning under $30,000 to $24,641 for families earning over $110,000. 29% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Lee University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Lee University student who received federal aid earns $43,222 a year, up from $38,082 at six years. 63% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 82% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $25,750; 42% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Lee University compares in Tennessee
Lee University ranks #19 most selective of 33 schools in Tennessee in our database.
Among the 33 Tennessee schools we track, Lee University ranks #19 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Vanderbilt University (6%) and Fisk University (37%) sit nearby, which makes Tennessee a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Lee University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Lee University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: University of the Pacific, Caldwell University, and Calvin University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Lee University's acceptance rate?
Lee University admitted 1,552 of 2,150 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 72.2% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 36% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Lee University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1040 to 1230 on the SAT and 20 to 27 on the ACT. A score above 1230 is in the top quarter of admits. Lee University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Lee University test-optional?
Yes. Lee University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Lee University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Lee University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $18,878 a year against a sticker price of about $35,688. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $12,834 on average.
What do Lee University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Lee University are $43,222 a year among students who received federal aid, and 63% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Lee University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Lee University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Lee University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Lee University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Lee University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Lee University specifically.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.