That is what we are going to do here with Campbell University, a private university in Buies Creek, North Carolina. I am not going to tell you whether it is “good” or “bad”—that question has no answer without knowing your child and your family. I am going to show you what the United States federal government reports about it, with the clarity that a decision of this magnitude deserves.
Who Campbell University Is and Where It Stands
Let’s start with the basics, because the basics matter more than they may seem.
Campbell University is a private, nonprofit, four-year-or-more institution. The Carnegie system, which classifies United States colleges and universities according to what they do, places it among doctoral and professional schools. In a snapshot taken with data from 2019-20, it is described as a medium-sized, four-year, primarily residential school: at that time, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing.
That same system, in its most recent version, places it among institutions that receive many transfer students. Separately, based on the degrees it awarded in 2019-20, it places Campbell in the master’s category, not the research-doctorate category. These are two different snapshots, taken under different rules, and neither tells you exactly which programs it offers today. If your child comes here after studying somewhere else, this is a sign to ask in writing which courses Campbell will accept and which it will not.
Where is it located? In Buies Creek, within Harnett County, North Carolina. The official code describes the setting as a town, near an urban area but not within it. If your family does not live nearby, this is your first sign to sit down and calculate separately where your child would live and how your child would get around. The “town” classification describes the school’s address; it does not tell you how close everything else your child will need is.
Regarding academic level, IPEDS—the federal data system used throughout this article—records the doctoral degree as the highest level the institution reports offering and classifies it as a school that awards primarily bachelor’s degrees or higher-level credentials. Keep in mind that this is an institutional label. It does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in exists here or whether it connects to a graduate program. You must ask that program by program.
One point worth making clear from the beginning: Campbell University is not registered as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; Campbell is not among them. That does not tell you which students it serves or how your child will feel on that campus. You learn that by visiting, talking with people who already study there, and finding out which organizations and cultural centers exist today.
The Size of the Community Your Child Would Join
Campbell had 5,115 enrolled students in the official fall count. It is neither a small school nor a huge one: it falls within the band of 5,000 to 9,999 students, and compared with 941 similar selective private schools, it is on the larger side—between one and three out of every ten schools in that group have more students.
But here is a detail that changes how you should read that number: of the total, 2,813 are undergraduate students and 2,302 are graduate students. In other words, nearly half of the school consists of people who have already completed a degree and returned for another credential. If your child is about to begin a bachelor’s degree, the number that truly matters is not 5,115. It is 2,813.
What does that undergraduate community look like? Out of every 100 students, 13 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority. Compared with 941 similar selective private schools, Campbell is above the group’s midpoint, though it does not reach the top quartile. Put plainly: there are few Latino students here. That does not remove Campbell from your list, but it is a sign to ask during your visit what is available for Latino students—a student organization, a cultural center, or someone in the office who speaks Spanish.
The undergraduate population is nearly even between men and women: 52 out of every 100 are women. Out of every 100 students, 23 are between 25 and 64 years old—there is a mix of ages, not only the 18-year-old student who has just finished high school. And here is something important about geography: 75 out of every 100 first-time students reported a permanent address in North Carolina. Most of their classmates will be from the same state.
How the Academic Year Works and What Prior Credit It Accepts
Campbell organizes its academic year into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. It is the most common calendar, with fixed dates for everyone.
The institution reported accepting credit for AP exams and also what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses or certifications, or military or professional opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training. But reporting that it accepts these forms of credit does not mean Campbell will automatically award credit to your child. The data do not say what AP scores it requires or how many credits it awards. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not include those savings in your budget until you have it in hand.
One more specific fact: in 2023, Campbell reported that it does not enroll high school students in college courses for credit. If your child is taking dual-enrollment classes, you should verify this directly with the school.
What It Offers Academically
In the most recent year reported, Campbell awarded 729 bachelor’s degrees, distributed across 23 program families, which the government calls CIP families. The family awarding the most degrees was business and management, with 20 out of every 100 degrees—a notable share, but far from dominating the entire total. No other area comes close, but there is also no single major that accounts for the bulk of the school.
Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, Campbell is in the top quartile for the variety of program families represented in its offerings. Its offerings are broad. But keep in mind that having 23 families represented in the report does not mean there are 23 active majors graduating students every year; some rows may report zero degrees for that year. Verify the exact program your child is interested in, not just the general field.
Regarding the relationship between students and faculty, the official ratio is 13 students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. On the general scale, this is considered low. But compared specifically with similar schools—private and selective—it is above the median: half of those schools have a ratio that is equal to or lower. Both things are true at the same time. And one point to keep in mind: this ratio does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. It is an institution-wide calculation, not a count of how many students fit in your child’s first-year classroom.
Campbell also reports structured academic opportunities: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, and several pathways related to teacher certification, including state approval of the program for initial teacher certification. If your child is interested in teaching or studying outside the country during college, this is worth exploring with admissions.
How Admission Works
This is where many families feel the most anxiety, so let’s take it slowly.
Campbell does not have open admission. It reviews several components before saying yes. Of the nine possible considerations evaluated by IPEDS, Campbell marked three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. The list of factors it does not consider is longer: class rank, completion of a specific college-preparatory program, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio, work experience, and whether a relative attended Campbell. The report does not say how much weight each required element carries in the final decision, so this does not mean that GPA is the only factor that matters.
One concrete and useful fact: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.
And here is something families discover too late if they do not ask early: if your child studied outside the United States or completed high school in Spanish, the English proficiency exam may apply. Ask now, not when you are already preparing the application.
How likely is admission? Campbell reported 3,680 first-time applicants in 2023 and offered admission to 3,470. That is 94 out of every 100. It is a school that does admit applicants: compared with 942 similar selective private schools, it is on the higher-accessibility side. Of those 3,680, only 210 were not offered admission.
But a high likelihood of admission does not make what comes next easy. That 94% does not tell you how much Campbell will cost, how many students finish, or whether the specific major your child wants has its own internal screening process. Those three questions must be answered separately.
And here is a fact that surprises many parents: out of every 100 admitted students, only 17 actually enrolled at Campbell that fall. The other 83 had an offer in hand and decided to go elsewhere. Do not read that as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made that choice. What it does tell you is useful: what other people decided does not predict what your child’s financial aid letter will offer. Wait for that letter with the net price before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
Regarding standardized tests, Campbell reported that it does not consider the SAT or ACT in the admission decision, even if applicants submit them. That does not cover scholarships or course placement—ask admissions about those separately.
If Your Child Transferred In or Considered Transferring Out
This fact deserves its own section because it is one of the most serious in the article. Campbell tracked the cohort of full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017. Within the extended time frame, 256 transferred to another school without completing their degree at Campbell. That is 33 out of every 100—one-third.
Compared with 542 similar selective private schools, that share is on the high side: seven out of every ten similar schools saw fewer students leave than Campbell did.
Here is something almost no family knows, and it is extremely valuable when comparing graduation rates across schools: a student who transfers does not count as a graduate of the school the student left, even if that student completes the degree somewhere else. A large number of students transferring does not mean that they did poorly—the report counts the movement, not what happened to them afterward. But it is a reality you must confront when comparing Campbell with other options.
In the other direction, 247 students arrived at Campbell in 2023 after previously studying at another institution. This is a medium-sized incoming transfer group compared with similar schools.
The Published Price: The Number That Looks Frightening and Must Be Understood Correctly
At Campbell University, among 65 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $18,276. Among 56 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $19,451; among 76 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $31,975. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $13,699 between the average for the lowest-income band (65 students) and the average for the highest-income band (76 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-time students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $24,517.
$18,276 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income band in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
Because the price varies so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours is the first step. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter you receive is what matters.
Financial Aid: Grants, Pell, and Loans
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Campbell, 89 received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the average was $28,179 per year. It is real money, but it is not a price: that average includes students who received much more and others who received much less. What matters is not the size of the discount, but how much remains for you to pay out of pocket.
The Pell Grant—federal aid for low-income families with demonstrated need—went to 34 out of every 100 degree-seeking students.
Regarding loans, 39 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the 2022-23 school year. Among those who borrowed, the average was $6,951 that year. Compared with 942 similar schools, Campbell is on the lower side in the share of students with loans.
One necessary clarification: that $6,951 average covers only one year and only federal loans in the student’s name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit card debt. Nor is it the total debt with which someone leaves upon graduation—that would require adding several years together, and that number is not in this report.
Campbell also offers two formal mechanisms for managing payment: a prepaid tuition plan and an installment payment plan.
Campus Life, Athletics, ROTC, and Support Services
Campbell has its own housing. Although it does not require all first-time students to live there, it does offer rooms and meal plans, with reported capacity for 1,387 students. The number of meals per week varies according to the selected plan—it is not fixed. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available when your child needs one: ask about the rate for the year, the application deadline, and whether a space is guaranteed or your child would be placed on a waiting list.
For students interested in the military, Campbell reports ROTC opportunities in the Army and Air Force branches; Navy is not marked. Its inclusion in the report does not mean that the program is necessarily taught on this campus—ask about available spaces, scholarships, and requirements by program name.
In athletics, Campbell competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. That membership belongs to the school; it is not a promise to your child. If your child is interested, contact the coach for that sport directly and ask about a place on the team, the division, and athletic scholarships, all in writing.
Regarding study format, 17 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load through distance education; the other 83 took at least one class in person. Campbell reported that it has at least one program that can be completed entirely through distance education, although the data do not specify whether that program is undergraduate or graduate—confirm that directly.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending—its annual spending exceeded the $100,000 threshold recorded by the government. The institution also reports several additional forms of support: combined academic and career counseling, employment services, support for veterans and military service members, including participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and a webpage dedicated to services for students with disabilities.
Outcomes: How Many Stay and How Many Graduate
This is perhaps the part that carries the most emotional weight, so let’s look at the exact numbers.
Retention (how many return for the second year?): Of the 492 full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2022, 367 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. That is 75 out of every 100. Compared with 930 similar schools, Campbell is slightly below the group’s midpoint. Two things this number does not clarify: it does not separate those who are still enrolled from those who have already graduated, and not returning is not the same as dropping out—someone who transferred and continues studying somewhere else is counted the same way, in this measure, as someone who left school entirely.
Graduation within four and six years: IPEDS followed 774 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2017. By six years, 424 had graduated from Campbell—55 out of every 100. At four years, the figure falls to 41 out of every 100, fourteen points lower. Compared with 920 similar schools, Campbell is below the group’s midpoint.
At the end of the time frame, those original 774 students were distributed as follows:
| Outcome | Students |
|---|---|
| Graduated here | 424 |
| Completed a short program here | 9 |
| Transferred without completing here | 256 |
| Still enrolled without graduating | 7 |
| No longer enrolled, federal category | 78 |
The “no longer enrolled” row does not say why they left and may include people who graduated after the official measurement period. And remember something we saw earlier: the 256 who transferred do not count as Campbell graduates even if they completed their degrees at another school.
At eight years, looking at a broader cohort that includes full-time and part-time students, first-time students, and transfer students: of the 1,943 students who entered in 2015-16, 52 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Campbell as of August 2023. Among students with Pell Grants, that figure falls to 49 out of every 100—five points lower than among those who did not receive Pell. Compared with 935 similar schools, Campbell is in the group’s bottom quartile.
This eight-year measure is a snapshot at one moment, not a measure of what that extra time actually cost in money or years of life. If your child’s path might take longer, before signing anything, request in writing how long the specific program takes to complete, how required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if it takes longer than expected.
What Each Person Is Responsible For
Your child is responsible for studying, exploring, choosing a major, and taking responsibility for their part of the journey. You are not responsible for living your child’s college life. But you are responsible for understanding the family’s finances, requesting the financial aid letter in writing, verifying credit equivalencies before promising savings, and directly asking what these official data cannot answer: what the campus feels like, what specific support exists for your child’s major, whether the English proficiency exam applies, and whether there is a place on the team that interests your child.
Campbell is responsible for admitting, denying, offering aid, and answering your questions clearly when you ask them.
You now know in detail one of the pieces you need to decide: who Campbell University is according to its own official data. Combine it with what your child wants to study, what your child has already accomplished in high school, and what your family can and is willing to pay. A real plan comes from that combination—not from this article alone.
Source note: The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, with data corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Campbell University or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public data for informational purposes for families.