Liberty University
Salary Score
Bachelor's
54
Master's
29
Doctoral
16
Liberty University (LU) is a private, nonprofit, Evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It primarily serves online students, with 73% of undergraduate students enrolled in distance education programs. Students can choose from over 150 online bachelor's degrees, with the most popular ones including Business Administration, Psychology, and Religious Studies. Liberty is one of the largest schools for students over 25 years old and one of the largest schools in the country by enrollment.
Fast Facts
Average Financial Aid: $11,369
Accreditation: Liberty University is acredited by 12 agencies
Salary Score for Online Degrees at Liberty University
Certificate Degrees
Theological and Ministerial Studies | Not Reported | $33,926 | 76 |
Associate's Degrees
Psychology, General | $26,230 | $26,854 | 89 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections | $27,334 | $38,721 | 85 |
Business/Commerce, General | $24,334 | $36,357 | 82 |
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $17,151 | $31,636 | 41 |
Accounting and Related Services | $23,000 | $27,697 | 26 |
Legal Support Services | $22,584 | $26,971 | 22 |
Health and Medical Administrative Services | $24,044 | $22,104 | 11 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $24,166 | $15,626 | 7 |
Bachelor's Degrees
Religion/Religious Studies | $33,334 | $35,680 | 91 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections | $25,941 | $40,903 | 83 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $25,500 | $38,737 | 78 |
Air Transportation | $20,832 | $49,846 | 76 |
Political Science and Government | $25,649 | $38,561 | 75 |
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $23,250 | $32,441 | 67 |
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $21,831 | $38,738 | 62 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations | $26,914 | $43,497 | 57 |
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $25,250 | $27,163 | 57 |
Business/Commerce, General | Not Reported | $44,576 | 55 |
Communication and Media Studies | $25,000 | $33,014 | 54 |
Psychology, General | $29,166 | $29,061 | 53 |
Music | $27,000 | $24,848 | 45 |
Social Work | $27,000 | $31,302 | 44 |
Design and Applied Arts | $24,750 | $32,506 | 42 |
History | $23,332 | $28,363 | 41 |
Computer and Information Sciences, General | $27,403 | $52,657 | 40 |
Accounting and Related Services | $25,832 | $45,519 | 38 |
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | $21,122 | $22,495 | 35 |
Bible/Biblical Studies | Not Reported | $25,622 | 35 |
Legal Support Services | $33,010 | $32,253 | 34 |
Mathematics | Not Reported | $40,001 | 32 |
English Language and Literature, General | $24,250 | $24,772 | 26 |
Religious/Sacred Music | $27,000 | $25,962 | 26 |
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $29,332 | $24,858 | 15 |
Special Education and Teaching | $27,786 | $33,713 | 13 |
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $24,250 | $24,623 | 13 |
Industrial Engineering | Not Reported | $60,079 | 9 |
Apparel and Textiles | $23,250 | $25,234 | 7 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $28,018 | $25,346 | 1 |
Master's Degrees
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | $31,147 | $84,316 | 81 |
Religious/Sacred Music | $40,998 | $40,701 | 76 |
Music | $34,027 | $32,194 | 74 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections | $34,027 | $56,829 | 65 |
Communication and Media Studies | $33,342 | $51,522 | 63 |
Law | Not Reported | $44,810 | 57 |
Theological and Ministerial Studies | $34,166 | $45,612 | 51 |
Religious Education | $51,748 | $37,007 | 50 |
Student Counseling and Personnel Services | $42,335 | $43,706 | 47 |
Accounting and Related Services | $27,333 | $58,981 | 44 |
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $34,166 | $49,192 | 37 |
Educational Administration and Supervision | $34,166 | $50,018 | 33 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations | $34,166 | $60,423 | 32 |
Marketing | $35,773 | $49,356 | 28 |
Biology, General | $29,708 | $27,823 | 27 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $31,747 | $44,133 | 27 |
Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $30,000 | $37,702 | 25 |
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $33,619 | $38,005 | 24 |
History | $34,120 | $31,010 | 23 |
Public Policy Analysis | $32,700 | $50,253 | 22 |
Health and Medical Administrative Services | $35,065 | $51,869 | 22 |
Public Health | $34,357 | $42,549 | 21 |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $34,165 | $80,385 | 19 |
Curriculum and Instruction | Not Reported | $43,101 | 18 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $34,166 | $40,478 | 18 |
Education, General | $36,892 | $42,274 | 16 |
Human Services, General | Not Reported | $37,916 | 16 |
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $27,333 | $36,829 | 16 |
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | $29,659 | $48,048 | 15 |
Special Education and Teaching | $34,934 | $42,765 | 15 |
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $54,666 | $36,983 | 15 |
Educational/Instructional Media Design | $37,986 | $44,731 | 11 |
Doctoral Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations | Not Reported | $116,860 | 72 |
Curriculum and Instruction | Not Reported | $55,507 | 18 |
Educational Administration and Supervision | Not Reported | $58,240 | 10 |
FAQs About Liberty University
Can You Attend Liberty University Online?
Yes, LU is one of the largest online colleges in the country, offering over 600 degrees and certificates online, including associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Most of Liberty's online classes are offered asynchronously, so students can complete assignments when it's convenient and don't have to log in at a certain time.
How Difficult Is It To Get Into Liberty University?
Liberty University has a 50% acceptance rate, which means it is somewhat competitive to get in. While 50% might not be low compared to acceptance rates at other campus-based colleges, like Stanford University, it's lower than many other large online colleges.
Is a Liberty University Degree Respected?
Thanks to the rapid growth of online programs from reputable universities, today's online degrees are widely respected as long as they're from an accredited school. Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctorate degrees, and certificates.
Accreditation is the best way to make sure an online degree is legitimate, and it's what sets respected online schools apart from diploma mills that exist to make money rather than educate students. If a school is accredited, it means an approved agency has reviewed the university, including its faculty and programs, to make sure it can provide students with a quality education.
Every college on OnlineU is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Liberty University Liberal or Conservative?
LU is known for being a conservative university. Since it was founded as an Evangelical Christian school, students are expected to follow a strict honor code, called The Liberty Way. The honor code is conservative in regulating relationships between unmarried students and has guidelines for what music, movies, and video games are permitted on and off campus.
Students are also "prohibited from statements and behaviors that are associated with LGBT lifestyle." It's not clear how many of these rules and regulations extend to online students, but Liberty is likely not a good option for LGBTQ students.
Liberty University is a drug, smoke, and alcohol-free school, and students are prohibited from using or possessing drugs, alcohol, or tobacco on and off campus. This rule does not apply to online students enrolled in LU Online. The university also has a dress code, although online students only need to follow it when on campus.
What Are the Admission Requirements for Liberty University?
For most online bachelor's programs at Liberty University, students need a high school diploma, a GED, or the equivalent, and at least a 2.0 GPA.
Prospective students can apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor. They'll need to submit a High School Self-Certification form, official high school transcripts, and any official transcripts from previous college experience.
Once they submit their paperwork and application, students will apply for financial aid, review tuition assistance programs, and assess other funding options, like a payment plan.
What Are the Career Outcomes and Top Employers for Liberty University?
At OnlineU, we use labor market data from the analytics company Lightcast to look at alumni outcomes for every college. Lightcast relies on job postings, profiles, and other data sources to give a monthly update of where graduates end up. Lightcast data shows that the most common job categories for LU bachelor's graduates are in management, business and financial operations, and office and administrative support. Many graduates go on to become business owners, office assistants, sales representatives, and general managers. Major employers for Liberty graduates include the U.S. Military, Liberty University, Chick-fil-A, and Amazon. Salary data from the U.S. Department of Education shows bachelor's graduates earn a median of $38,758 in their first year out of college. For graduate students, the most popular jobs include chief executives, middle school teachers, general and operations managers, and clergy.
What Is Liberty University Known For?
LU is known for being an Evangelical Christian school and was founded by televangelist Jerry Falwell in 1971. Today, it is one of the largest schools in the country by enrollment and serves some of the most adult learners thanks to its expansion into online programs.
The university also focuses on keeping costs low for students. It hasn't increased tuition in seven years and offers a 15% discount for small business owners. The most popular degrees at Liberty include Business, Psychology, Religious Studies, and Criminal Justice, according to federal data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Karam Yasi
Reviewed: 2/16/2023
Degree: Engineering Management
Liberty University is an excellent institution that has a lot to offer its students. One of the most impressive aspects of the university is the quality of its professors. It's clear that the faculty are knowledgeable, experienced, and committed to helping their students succeed. It's great to hear that you've had a positive experience with them and that they've been able to answer your questions and provide support throughout your time at the university. In addition to the great professors, Liberty... Read More
John Shaver
Reviewed: 1/15/2023
Degree: Human Services
I completed a Master's of Art in Human Services Counseling with a cognate in Military Resilience. The MA was 30 total credits and I was able to complete the degree in one year. I set it up so that I would start and finish a class each month. I was able to stagger them in such a manner. During my pursuit of the degree I was placed on academic review after the first term. This was not due to the fault of the university. I was working an average of 70 hours a week and I had to adjust my time management... Read More
Arsenio Pyatt
Reviewed: 12/17/2022
Degree: Biblical Studies
I'm an online student and it is great for me. I am a full-time student and I work 30 hours a week. I have always gotten pretty quick responses from my Professors. The military tuition discount really helps out a lot and online learning for me is ideal. If I had set log-in times I would not be able to take a full course load. I got behind recently because of some personal issues and holiday traveling, they were very understanding and did not pry for information. I was allowed to turn in assignments... Read More
Jessica
Reviewed: 12/1/2022
Degree: History
I attended Liberty University online for my undergraduate, Master’s and Ph.D program where I am about 70% done with my Ph.D., I need 2 more classes and then dissertation research begins. Undergrad and Master’s were fine; they did give me a minor pay bump at my job which has nothing to do with History. First, the professors are adjunct and it is dizzying to have one adjunct tell you one thing and another adjunct tell you another about the exact same type of item in another class at the same level.... Read More
MattT
Reviewed: 11/15/2022
Degree: Criminal Justice
As with any endeavor in life, the more you invest, the more significant benefit of the outcome. I completed the online MSCJ program in one year due to the construction of the program. Semesters are divided into 8-week segments, allowing intense work on a specific subject. Books are insanely expensive (as usual), but I recommend you get the electronic versions. The quizzes are an open book, and you can query the online version to find specific subjects or keywords to complete the quizzes. Always do... Read More
Paul
Reviewed: 10/29/2022
Degree: Business Administration
I am doing online school and it was going ok but they updated the online class now it takes twice as long and you can not submit some homework I would recommend going to a different school! and teachers do not really help with classes at all or make videos to learn from.
Isabel
Reviewed: 7/31/2022
Degree: Business Administration
I've read the other reviews and I'll just say the online degrees are not for everyone. It's a lot of reading and self teaching. For me this is perfect because I don't like being micromanaged and I can divide my time and learning according to my own schedule (mom of 3 here). I also have 9 years experience in my field (sales, banking, customer service, finance) so the material is interesting and repetitive for me so far. I like the 8 week terms because even though it's more rigorous, I only have to... Read More
Peach
Reviewed: 7/22/2022
Degree: Education
There is a myriad of choices for students in terms of choosing a college or university. Some universities and colleges are Christian in nature. However, not all manage to adequately exemplify their Christian beliefs and values to their students who are their consumers. Observation and experience illustrated that Liberty University course work and content need work. Sometimes course materials may not match the subject matter and correlate to real-life or work experience and challenges. The majority... Read More
Ph.D Stident
Reviewed: 7/22/2022
Degree: Public Policy
I attended this university for my M.A. and Ph.D. I completed my M.A. in 2016 with no hiccups. I began my Ph.D in 2018, and decided that I needed to take a break for the 2021-2022 academic year. Well, apparently taking off for an academic year gets you dropped and requires you to reapply to the school. Mind you, the school supposedly allows 7 years to complete the Ph.D program that I was enrolled in. I told them what they can do with their "reapply!" They wanted me to reapply to finish up 3 classes... Read More
KALI
Reviewed: 7/15/2022
Degree: Nursing
I am enjoying learning at Liberty University. It is a great school. I would recommend this school to anyone, plus the tuition is low and affordable. I was reading some of the reviews, and some of them must be from first-time college students who are/were not prepared to attend an institution of higher learning and education. Liberty University is not a high school or a community college. The professors are not supposed to hold your hand but rather guide and point you in the right direction. It is... Read More