What Kind of School It Is and Where It Stands
Huntington University is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution. The federal system classifies it as a master's university with small programs and reports that it offers programs through the doctoral level—although that is a general institutional fact, not a guarantee that a doctoral program exists in the field your child is interested in or that undergraduate and graduate study are connected in that particular field. Verify the exact pathway if that matters to you.
It is classified as a "highly residential" school: at least half of its undergraduate students live in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attend full time. That tells you something real about life there, but it does not tell you the cost of room and board—which is almost never included with tuition in the brochure. Ask for it separately, including the meal plan, before comparing this school with any other.
Geographically, it is in the city of Huntington, within the county of the same name, in a town setting far from large urban areas. If your family does not live nearby, you will need to figure out separately where your child would live and how your child would get around. The data point locates the school; it does not locate your family.
And there is something worth clarifying right away: Huntington University has none of three specific designations in the federal system—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. That says nothing about which communities it serves well or poorly, or how your child would feel there. Ask about that directly by speaking with someone who already attends the school.
Who Else Is There: The Student Community
In the fall of 2023, Huntington University reported that 8 out of every 100 undergraduate students were Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority, and compared with the 941 selective private schools of this same type, it falls below the midpoint of that group. That does not take the school off the list, but it is information you should have before imagining the environment your child will encounter. If your child will be one of only a few, ask which student groups, which cultural center, and what support in Spanish exist today—not a year ago. Speak with a current student before deciding.
Other community numbers: there are more women than men (58 out of every 100), students ages 25 to 64 are a minority (5 out of every 100), and just over half of incoming students—68 out of every 100—came from the same state. The school has 1,504 students enrolled in total, a medium-sized enrollment within the group of similar schools, with 1,286 undergraduates and 218 graduate students: it is primarily an undergraduate school. That enrollment figure does not tell you how many people are in a classroom at the same time; given the number of part-time students it reports, it is worth asking directly when the courses your child is interested in are offered.
How the Academic Year Works and How Broad the Offerings Are
The calendar is semester-based: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school stated that it accepts credit for AP exams and also what IPEDS calls "credit for life experiences"—independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses, certifications, or military training. Stating that it accepts such credit does not mean it will automatically award it to your child. Request the transfer-credit evaluation in writing before enrolling and including those savings in your budget.
It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program, if that interests you for a younger child.
As for the academic offerings: in the latest year reported, the school awarded 207 bachelor's degrees across 20 fields of study, with no field accounting for a large share—the most popular, visual and performing arts, accounted for only 17 out of every 100 degrees. The offerings are broad and distributed, rather than built around a single flagship field. But 20 recorded fields are not the same as 20 majors in the current catalog: verify the exact program your child is interested in.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 10 to 1—low compared with similar schools. It is an aggregate figure; by itself, it does not reveal the actual size of first-year classes, so do not turn it into a promise of personalized attention without asking further questions.
The institution also reports structured study-abroad opportunities and state-approved teacher-certification pathways, if those options interest your child.
Getting In: What the Door Requires and How Wide It Is
Here is one of the facts that most reassures families and also one of the most frequently misunderstood. Huntington University does not have open admissions: it reviews specific components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marks four as required: the high school record, grade-point average, college-preparatory program, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants coming from outside an English-language educational system. If your child studied in another country or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether that exam applies and what qualifies for an exemption—it is one of those things people discover late, complicating their timelines.
Other components are not required but are considered if submitted: class rank, the essay, letters of recommendation, and work experience. The published application fee is $0.
Now for the numbers showing how selective it is in practice. In the 2023 cycle, out of 1,570 first-time applicants, 1,117 were offered admission: 71 out of every 100. That is an accessible admission rate, ranking around the middle among similar selective private schools. Seven or eight out of every ten received a yes—but that does not make admission automatic, and this figure comes from a single cycle, not a fixed rule. When it is your child's turn, check the number again for the relevant year.
Here is something that surprises many families: out of every 100 admitted students, only 24 ultimately enrolled. The other 76 had a place and did not take it. Do not read that as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made the choice they did. What it does tell you, very clearly, is that receiving the letter is not the same as deciding to attend, and that what others decided does not predict what your family will be offered. Wait for your own letter with the net price—the number that truly matters—before drawing conclusions.
Regarding standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. Among enrolled students, 59 out of every 100 submitted them, a high share compared with schools of the same type. The middle half of those scores ranged from 470 to 590 in reading and writing and from 530 to 600 in mathematics. These figures describe students who enrolled and submitted scores, not all applicants; they are neither minimums nor guarantees.
Regarding transfers: of the cohort that entered in 2017 as full-time bachelor's-degree-seeking students, 15 out of every 100 transferred to another institution without completing a degree here. Separately, in 2023, 63 transfer students arrived from other schools. Transferring is not failing—but if your child thinks that option might be needed someday, it is worth learning beforehand how to request the records.
The Sticker Price and What Is Actually Paid
At Huntington University, among 20 full-time, first-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 $10,313. Among 34 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $10,726; among 41 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $19,550. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (20 students) and the highest-income band (41 students) is $9,237. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $21,149.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Huntington falls within the least expensive quarter for the lowest-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a fact that matters when you build the list of schools to which your child will apply.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe full-time, first-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 full-time, first-time credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The figure that governs is the financial-aid letter you receive. In the meantime, use the net-price calculator on the school's website.
How It Is Paid For: Grants, Loans, and the Weight of Debt
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Huntington University, 85 received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the average was $17,852. The federal Pell Grant, reserved for families with demonstrated financial need, reached 32 out of every 100. The difference between those two figures—many receiving some type of grant or scholarship aid, fewer receiving Pell Grants—may include state, institutional, or other sources of aid; ask exactly which programs make up the difference.
Now the hard truth: 77 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan during the reported academic year. That is the majority, and compared with similar schools, Huntington ranks among those with the most students receiving loans. The average annual amount among those who received one was $5,091. If your child borrowed a similar amount for all four years of the program, the total—before interest—would be around $20,364. That number is decided before the first signature, not at the end.
The fact that borrowing is common here does not determine whether your child will need to borrow. That comes from your child's own financial-aid letter and the difference between the net price and what your family can pay. If the offer includes debt, request the estimated monthly payment before accepting anything. And remember: that average covers only federal loans in the student's name—it does not include anything the parents might borrow separately, credit-card balances, or the total debt someone has upon graduating. That figure is not in this report.
The institution also reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan, if that helps your family manage cash flow during the year.
Campus Life: Housing, Sports, and What Exists Outside the Classroom
Huntington University has institution-owned housing and meal plans with a fixed number of meals per week in its largest option. Not all students are required to live there, but that does not tell you whether your particular child might be required to because of the program or year in school—ask for the exact rule. The reported institutional-housing capacity is 870 spaces. The existence of rooms does not guarantee an available bed: ask for the rate for the year, the deadline, and whether housing is guaranteed or students are placed on a waiting list.
It reported no ROTC opportunities—neither the general category nor any branch. If your child's plan depends on that, do not cross the school off the list without first asking admissions directly; the field shows what was reported, not everything that exists.
It does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with both the NAIA and NCCAA, with reported membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country/track and field. That is school membership, not a guaranteed place for your child. If sports matter, write directly to the coach and ask about roster space, division, and athletic scholarships.
It offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, although only 3 out of every 100 undergraduate students take all their courses that way—the rest regularly set foot on campus. The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending. Reported support services include combined academic and career counseling, employment services, a program for students with intellectual disabilities, participation in Yellow Ribbon, and a point of contact for veterans and military families.
Those Who Stay and Those Who Finish
Of the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022 as full-time bachelor's-degree-seeking students, 77 out of every 100 met the retention criterion the following year: they were still enrolled or had already graduated. That figure is slightly above the midpoint among similar schools. But be careful: this number does not distinguish those still enrolled here from those who have already graduated, and "not returning" is not equivalent to "dropping out"—someone who transferred and continues studying elsewhere is counted the same as someone who stopped studying altogether.
Of the cohort that entered in 2017, 68 out of every 100 had graduated from Huntington University within six years. By four years, the figure had already reached 61 out of every 100—just seven points lower, a small gap suggesting that most of those who finish do so on time. Compared with similar schools, it ranks above the median.
It is worth examining the full details for that cohort of 217 students: 148 graduated here, 33 transferred to another institution, 1 student remained enrolled without finishing, and 35 fell into the federal category of "no longer enrolled"—which does not explain the reason and may include people who graduated after the measured period.
At eight years, looking at a different cohort that entered in 2015-16, 68 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among those who received a Pell Grant, that figure fell to 63 out of every 100—eight points below those who did not receive one. That is a real gap, and it is worth asking the school about it directly: what assigned advising is available, what emergency assistance exists, and whether internal scholarships are renewed each year for students in your child's situation. Have them answer in writing.
What You Can Do With All of This
You now know one part of the map precisely: what Huntington University is, what it requires for admission, what it really costs, and how those who attended before your child have fared. No figure in this article predicts what will happen to your child. Averages describe entire groups, not an individual.
What comes next does not depend on these numbers; it depends on the three of you. It depends on what your child wants to study and how your child imagines those four years. It depends on what your family can and is willing to pay once you have the actual letter in hand. And it depends on the specific questions this article has already prepared for you—about the English exam, housing, the Pell Grant, and sports—that only the school itself can answer for you in writing.
With that combination, and not before, you can make a plan.
Source: data from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Huntington University or any government agency; this article organizes public information to help families understand it.