Christ-centered Baptist university in Tennessee with 100+ programs and NCAA Division II athletics.
Union University offers over 100 programs of study integrated with Christian faith across eight colleges: Adult & Professional Studies, Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing & Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Social Work, and Theology & Missions. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and its business program holds AACSB accreditation. Graduate degrees are available in business, education, Christian studies, and nursing at the Germantown and Hendersonville campuses.
The main Jackson campus spans 290 acres and includes a 2,200-seat gymnasium, dormitories, athletic facilities (baseball, softball, soccer fields), and a wellness center. Campus housing has been ranked third in the nation, with private bedrooms and washer/dryer in every apartment. The university hosts 90+ student organizations, Greek life, intramural sports, and NCAA Division II athletics with five men's and six women's varsity teams competing in the Gulf South Conference.
As of 2025, Union has a 47% acceptance rate with a minimum SAT score of 1030. Undergraduate tuition and fees are $39,850 per year. The student body is 70% white, with total undergraduate enrollment of 1,891. The university welcomes students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin and offers undergraduate, graduate, adult studies, and online admission pathways.
Union University traces its roots to Jackson Male Academy (1823). After reorganization as West Tennessee College and acquisition by Tennessee Baptists in 1874, it became Southwestern Baptist University (1875), renamed Union University in 1907 to honor its predecessor institution. The university survived significant challenges, including an EF4 tornado in February 2008 that destroyed 18 dormitories and caused $40 million in damage, with no student fatalities.