Anderson University
Anderson, Indiana · Private Nonprofit · 79.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 32/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Anderson University is a private nonprofit institution in Anderson, Indiana, enrolling about 1,057 undergraduates. Affiliated with the Church of God, it carries a $37,240 sticker price reduced to a $25,021 average net price, though families above $75,000 pay closer to $26,000 - $29,000. Anderson earns a Below Benchmark ROI score of 32 - reflecting a 17.3-year payback period, a 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio, and average six-year earnings of only $33,300. The 54% graduation rate leaves nearly half of enrolled students without a degree to show for their investment. Nursing is the one clear bright spot, with graduates earning $64,000 - $81,500. Outside nursing and accounting, most programs post D or F ROI grades against significant debt. Anderson's faith-community culture and small class sizes have genuine appeal, but prospective students must weigh those intangibles against a price tag that only makes financial sense for a narrow set of program choices.
How Anderson University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score32/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Anderson University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $37,240/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $37,240/yr |
| Average net price | $25,021/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $100,084 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,899 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,057 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $37,240/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,021/year, or roughly $100,084 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $23,119/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,375/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,300) and comes to 0.81, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $23,119 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,044 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,418 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,139 |
| $110,001+ | $29,375 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $23,119 net - notably higher than the $21,044 paid by the $30,001 - $48,000 bracket, a counterintuitive pattern. At those cost levels and with $33,300 average earnings at six years, low-income students face a genuine financial burden unless they enter nursing. Maximizing all available federal and state aid, and selecting nursing explicitly, is the path that makes financial sense.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $75,000 band pays $21,044 - $22,418 - Anderson's best aid tier. Nursing changes the calculus dramatically.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Above $75,000, families pay $26,139 - $29,375. Anderson's value proposition diminishes considerably at this price point.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Anderson University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $81,507 | B |
| Psychology | $48,181 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $55,736 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,029 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $50,717 | C |
| Teacher Education | $47,968 | C |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $51,172 | - |
| Marketing | $68,644 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $41,966 | D |
| Social Work | $51,748 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Anderson's anchor program with 43 graduates earning $64,084 in year one and $81,507 at four years. A 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B grade. This program justifies the net price and delivers outcomes that compare favorably to larger Indiana programs. Students who gain admission to Anderson's nursing track have a defensible ROI path.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 12 students with year-one earnings of $44,851 and $47,968 at four years. At a 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio graded C, the numbers are serviceable for Indiana's entry-level teacher salaries, but the private-school price tag makes this track financially tight. Indiana teacher loan forgiveness programs should be factored into the decision.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 15 students with year-one earnings of $34,294 and a 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a D. The four-year figure of $55,736 shows more promise, suggesting career progression over time, but early-career cash flow will be strained by $27,000 in median debt on a $34,000 starting salary.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 16 students with year-one earnings of $27,482 and a 0.98 debt-to-earnings ratio graded D. Most psychology graduates will need a graduate degree to reach livable wages; the D grade reflects this early-career earnings gap. Students should plan for graduate school before enrolling in this program at a private institution.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Anderson University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 79.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,057 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 36.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,746 |
Anderson accepts about 79% of applicants. The middle 50% SAT spans 450 - 580 in both reading and math; ACT runs 17 - 24. Merit scholarships are available and can meaningfully reduce costs. Students considering Anderson primarily for its faith community should verify scholarship renewability requirements to prevent mid-program cost surprises.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson University (this school) | 32 | $25,021 | $48,899 |
| Butler University | 79 | $36,041 | $77,235 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| Bethel University | 34 | $18,610 | $48,860 |
| Mount Aloysius College | 34 | $22,344 | $46,165 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
Who Thrives Here
Anderson is best suited to students strongly committed to its faith-based community who plan to study nursing, accounting, or another business field. The 79% admissions rate signals accessible entry. Students who are drawn to dance, kinesiology, or psychology face documented debt-to-earnings ratios well above 0.70, meaning they will likely earn less annually than their debt payments require early in their careers. Families should use the net price calculator and stress-test outcomes by major before committing.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Anderson University scores 32/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $25,021 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,899 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.3 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Anderson University: Common Questions
Is Anderson University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Anderson University scores 32/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $25,021 a year after aid against $48,899 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Anderson University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $25,021 a year, or roughly $100,084 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Anderson University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,899 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,099 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Anderson University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 17.3 years for Anderson University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Anderson University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $33,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Anderson University?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.8%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.