• Return to Normal University Operations on Thursday, Feb. 20

    Lenoir-Rhyne University will return to normal university operations on Thursday, Feb. 20, at our all of our campus locations—Hickory, Columbia and Asheville. Classes will resume as scheduled, and all offices will be open.

    UPDATE: Feb. 20, 9:15 a.m. (from Academic Affairs)
    Due to the recent weather changes in Hickory, you may opt to move your classes to remote delivery today if you have concerns about safely traveling to campus. If you choose to hold classes remotely, please notify your students and your dean as soon as possible.

    For those holding in-person classes, we ask that you exercise flexibility with attendance policies, understanding that some students may face transportation challenges or safety concerns. Students should not feel compelled to risk unsafe travel conditions to attend class.

    Please communicate your teaching plans to your students and your dean.

    Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring everyone's safety while maintaining academic continuity.

Graduate School Cost of Attendance


At Lenoir-Rhyne, we know that cost is a determining factor in obtaining your master’s degree.

If you estimate your cost of attendance, this provides a more realistic view of preparing for your graduate degree.

The Graduate School offers individual meetings with a financial aid counselor who can help you with the estimated cost of each term based on the number of classes and the length of the program and the overall cost.

Graduate Program & Tuition Costs


The following tuition rates are for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. A full listing of costs is detailed below.

  • 2024-25 Program Costs & Tuition

    The fee amounts noted below for 2024-2025 are for tuition only and do not include fees, books, supplies or personal expenses. There is a Graduate School fee of $300 for each term you are enrolled as a student.

    The cost for most graduate programs is $690/credit hour unless otherwise indicated below. 

    • Business Administration, MBA
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $24,840
    • Christian Ministry, MACM
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $33,810
    • Counseling, M.A.
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $42,090
    • Creative Writing, MFA
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $31,050
    • Dietetic Internship / Nutrition, M.S.
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $12,420
    • Divinity, M.Div.
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $57,960
    • Exercise Science, M.S.
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,150
    • Human Services, M.A.
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,150
    • Leadership, M.A.
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $22,770
    • Nutrition, M.S
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $24,150
    • Nursing Practice, FNP/DNP & Post-Master's DNP
      $895/credit hour; $7,500 per semester (8 semesters)
    • Occupational Therapy, M.S.
      $12,500/semester; $2,500 per summer term; total tuition: $55,000 (4 full semesters and 2 summer sessions)
    • Public Health, MPH
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $28,980
    • Public Health (MPH) / Business Administration (MBA) - MPH-MBA Dual-Degree
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $39,330
    • Physician Assistant Studies**
      $15,000/semester (program starts in spring 2026)
    • Sustainability Studies, M.S.
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,150
    • Teaching, MAT
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,700
    • Theological Studies, MTS
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $33,120

    Hickory Campus Fees

    • Graduate Student General Fee: $300/semester
    • Application Fee: $35 (all graduate students)
    • Replacement ID/Key: $15
    • Transcript Fee: $10
    • Room Rate for Hickory Graduate Students: $3,400/semester

    LTSS Programs Tuition & Fees

    • Full-time Tuition: $22,000/year
    • Overload (> 14 credits in a semester): $690/credit
    • Part-time (< 9 credits in a semester): $900/credit
    • Summer Semester: $690/credit
    • Course Audit: $300/credit
    • Internship Tuition (paid by sponsor parish): $1,000/year
    • Graduate Student Fee: $300/semester
    • Application Fee (all graduate students: $35

    Columbia Graduate Student - Room Charges

    • Beam Dormitory - Fall & Spring (Single Occupancy): $4,200/year
    • 2 Bed Apartment - Fall & Spring (Single or Family): $ 9,400/year
    • 2 Bed Apartment - Fall & Spring (Double Occupancy): $4,900/year
    • 3-4 Bed Apartment - Fall & Spring (Triple Occupancy): $3,600/year
    • Parking Permit Fee: $60/year
    • Pet Fee (non cat/dog): $275/year
    • Pet Fee (cat/dog): $500/year
    • Summer Rate - Beam Dormitory (Single Occupancy): $215/week
    • Summer Rate - 2 Bed Apartment (Single or Family): $3,250 (June-Aug.)
    • Summer Rate - 2 Bed Apartment (Double Occupancy): $1,750 (June-Aug.)
    • Summer Rate - 2 Bed Apartment (Double Occupancy): $1,200 (June-Aug.)

    ** Lenoir-Rhyne University has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). 

    Lenoir-Rhyne University anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2026, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the June 2025 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

    The Lenoir-Rhyne PA Studies program will not commence in the event that provisional accreditation is not received, and the enrollment deposit will be refunded in full.

  • 2025-26 Program Costs & Tuition

    The fee amounts noted below for 2025-2026 are for tuition only and do not include fees, books, supplies or personal expenses. There is a Graduate School fee of $300 for each term you are enrolled as a student.

    The base tuition charge (all programs without semester pricing) is $550/credit. The costs listed below include the addition tuition charge per credit hour.

    Please note that graduate certificate programs are $690/credit hour.

    • Business Administration, MBA
      $710/credit hour; total tuition: $25,560
    • Business Administration, MBA / Leadership, M.A. (dual degree program)
      $710/credit hour; total tuition: $31,950
    • Counseling, M.A.
      $710/credit hour; total tuition: $43,310
    • Creative Writing, MFA
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $31,050
    • Criminal Justice Leadership, M.A. (phasing out)
      $690/credit hour
    • Dietetic Internship / Nutrition, M.S. (phasing out)
      $710/credit hour; total tuition: $12,780
    • Exercise Science, M.S.
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,150
    • Human Services, M.A.
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,150
    • Leadership, M.A.
      $710/credit hour; total tuition: $23,430
    • Narrative Health Care
      $690/credit hour
    • Nursing Practice, FNP/DNP & Post-Master's DNP
      $900/credit hour; $7,500 per semester (8 semesters)
    • Nursing Education (phasing out)
      $690/credit hour
    • Nursing Administration (phasing out)
      $690/credit hour
    • Occupational Therapy, M.S.
      • $12,500/semester
      • $2,500 per summer term
      • Total tuition: $55,000 (4 full semesters and 2 summer sessions)
    • Public Health, MPH
      $690/credit hour; total tuition: $28,980
    • Public Health (MPH) / Business Administration (MBA) (dual degree program)
      $710/credit hour; total tuition: $40,470
    • Physician Assistant Studies**
      $15,000/semester (program starts in spring 2026)
    • Sustainability Studies, M.S. (phasing out)
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,150
    • Teaching, MAT
      $550/credit hour; total tuition: $18,700

    Hickory Campus Fees

    • Graduate Student General Fee: $300/semester
    • Application Fee: $35 (all graduate students)
    • Replacement ID/Key: $15
    • Transcript Fee: $15
    • Room Rate for Hickory Graduate Students: $3,400/semester

    Graduate Student Housing - Hickory

    • Double Occupancy: $3,500/semester
    • Private Room Rate Premium: $2,300/semester
    • Replacement Room Key/Lock: $200

    Seminary (LTSS) Programs

    Tuition

    • Full-time Tuition: $23,000/year
    • Overload (> 14 credits in a Semester): No additional charge
    • Part-time (< 9 hours in a Semester): $900/credit
    • Course Audit: $300/credit
    • Internship tuition (paid by sponsor parish): $1,000/year

    Fees

    • Graduate Student Fee (all semesters): $300/semester
    • Application Fee (all graduate students): $300
    • ELCA Affiliate Fee: $1,600 (one-time)

    ** Lenoir-Rhyne University has applied for Accreditation - Provisional from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

    Lenoir-Rhyne University anticipates matriculating its first class in January 2026, pending achieving Accreditation - Provisional status at the June 2025 ARC-PA meeting. Accreditation - Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding accreditation-provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

    The Lenoir-Rhyne PA Studies program will not commence in the event that provisional accreditation is not received, and the enrollment deposit will be refunded in full.

  • Estimated Total Cost of Attendance

    In compliance with the Department of Education, indirect costs, including books, transportation and miscellaneous expenses, are added to tuition, fees, food and housing to determine Lenoir-Rhyne University’s official total cost of attendance. The average cost of attendance for MBA, Counseling, Nutrition, Dietetic Internship/Other graduate programs for 2024-25 is $35170. The average cost of attendance for MS/DNP graduate programs for 2024-25 is $33,610. The average cost of attendance for MAT/Human Services/Sustainability Studies/ Exercise Science for 2024-25 is $31,810. The average cost of attendance includes estimated books and other course materials of $1360 for the programs above. 

    The average cost of attendance for Occupational Therapy programs for 2024-25 is $44,350. The average cost of attendance for Physician Assistant programs is $49,350. The average cost of attendance includes estimated books and other course materials of $1,700 for the programs above.

    Total actual costs per student may vary depending upon program type and food and housing selections. Aggregate financial aid may not exceed the student’s calculated cost of attendance.

    Federal regulations allow limited exceptions or adjustments to information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Such exceptions or adjustments, known as Special Circumstances or Professional Judgment, are considered on a case-by-case basis based on supporting documentation of your circumstances.

Dan Waters

Whether you’re in Asheville on campus or 1,000 miles away like I was, you always feel like you’re part of the program and you shouldn’t hesitate because of distance.

Dan Waters, M.D.