About
Namesake: Named for the Jesuit priest and cardinal Robert Bellarmine—born Oct. 4, 1542 in Montepulciano, Italy; died Sept. 17, 1621 in Rome; canonized June 29, 1930.
History: From 1950 until 1968, Bellarmine operated as an Archdiocesan all men’s college. In 1968, Bellarmine merged with Ursuline College and became both co-educational and independent. On Sept. 14, 2000, Bellarmine changed its named from Bellarmine College to Bellarmine University.
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Date Opened: Oct. 3, 1950
Affiliation: Independent, Catholic
Colors: Scarlet and Silver
Nickname: Knights
Student Body
Fall 2025 Total Headcount: 3,077
Female: 1,930 (63%)
Male: 1,141 (37%)
Full-time: 2,845 (92%)
Part-time: 232 (8%)
Under-represented Minorities: 957 (33%)*
International: 67 (2%)
Undergraduate Headcount: 2,365
Female: 1,463 (62%)
Male: 896 (38%)
Full-time: 2,234 (94%)
Part-time: 131 (6%)
Under-represented Minorities: 779 (35%)*
International: 49 (2%)
Graduate Headcount: 712
Female: 467 (66%)
Male: 245 (34%)
Full-time: 611 (86%)
Part-time: 101 (14%)
Under-represented Minorities: 178 (26%)*
International: 18 (3%)
Fall 2025 First-Year Cohort: 660
Female: 405 (61%)
Male: 255 (39%)
Under-represented Minorities: 259 (43%)*
International: 11 (2%)
First Generation: 317 (48%)
Pell Eligible: 353 (53%)
Learning Community: 95 (14%)
Honors Program: 105 (16%)
Student Athletes: 145 (22%)
Geographic Origin of Undergraduate Students
Kentucky: 1,759 (74%)
Indiana: 186 (8%)
Ohio: 71 (3%)
Illinois: 51 (2%)
California: 31 (1%)
Tennessee: 20 (1%)
Georgia: 19 (1%)
Other States/International: 228 (10%)
*The denominator in this calculation excludes international and unknown.
Campus Living
Full-Time Undergraduates Living on Campus: 1,008 (45%)
Full-Time First-Year Cohort Living on Campus: 440 (67%)
Faculty
Student-Faculty Ratio: 12:1
Number of full-time faculty: 137
Does not include academic deans or academic administrators
Female: 87 (64%)
Male: 50 (36%)
With terminal degrees: 110 (80%)
Tenured (of tenure track faculty): 68 (67%)
Cost of Attendance for Academic Year 2025-2026
Undergraduate Tuition: $48,900
Fees: $1,590
Part-Time Per Credit Hour: $1,080
Matriculation Fee: $400 (one-time fee in the fall semester for first-time, full-time students)
Room and Board: $10,350 (based on a weighted average cost of BU’s residence halls)
100% of first-year students receive institutional aid
Campus Grounds
Campus acreage: 184 acres total -- 134 on campus, 50 off campus
On-campus facilities: 27 major buildings, 943,222 total square footage
Off-campus facilities: 27 buildings, 155,366 total square footage
Credentials Awarded
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Bachelor of Health Science (BHS)
Bachelor of Music (BM)
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Accounting
Graduate Certificate in Applied Business Analytics
Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis and Decision Making
Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education
Graduate Certificate in Organizational and Marketing Dynamics
Master of Arts (MA)
Master of Arts in Education (MAEd)
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Education (MEd)
Master of Health Science (MHS)
Master of Science (MS)
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Post-Master's Adult Gerontology - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Post-Master's Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Graduation and Retention Rates
2nd-Year Retention: 79% (first-year cohort 2024)
3rd-Year Retention: 64% (first-year cohort 2023)
4th-Year Retention: 64% (first-year cohort 2022)
6-Year Graduation Rate: 71% (first-year cohort 2019)
Popular Majors
Top 5 Majors by Percentage of Undergraduate Bachelor Degrees Conferred
Nursing 17%
Psychology 10%
Business Administration 6%
Exercise Science 6%
Sports Administration 5%
Number of Degrees Conferred
2024-2025 Total Degrees Conferred: 774
Bachelor’s Degrees: 503
Accelerated Second Bachelor's Degrees: 46
Post-Bachelor’s Certificates: 0
Graduate Certificates: 1
Master’s Degrees: 145
Post-Master's Certificates: 0
Doctoral Degrees: 79
Note: Students who earn multiple degrees are counted twice.
Alumni
Total number of living alumni/ae: 28,677 (Fall 2025)
Bellarmine University is a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
College Navigator: Bellarmine University