Asbury University
Wilmore, Kentucky · Private Nonprofit · 63.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 29/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Asbury University is a private Christian liberal arts college of 1,420 students in Wilmore, Kentucky. The ROI score of 29 - Below Benchmark tier - reflects a severe mismatch between cost and outcomes. Average six-year earnings are $29,300 and the payback period is 30.6 years. Median debt of $24,028 against $29,300 in starting earnings creates acute financial strain. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.820 reflects this. The 65% completion rate is average. Asbury's programs are limited in the data: Business Administration shows the only strong outcome (early-career median $67,117), while Radio/Television/Digital Communication and Teacher Education show D-grade ratios. Students who choose Asbury do so overwhelmingly for its evangelical Christian community and culture - that value is real but not reflected in earnings data.
How Asbury 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 Score29/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period30.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Asbury University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $33,640/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $33,640/yr |
| Average net price | $21,401/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $85,604 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,368 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,028 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $255 |
| Estimated payback period | 30.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 65.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,420 |
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: $33,640/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,401/year, or roughly $85,604 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 $18,455/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,958/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,028, which works out to about $255 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($29,300) and comes to 0.82, 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 | $18,455 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,280 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,724 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,296 |
| $110,001+ | $25,958 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $18,455 per year at Asbury. Over four years, that is roughly $73,800. For a school with a 30.6-year payback period and $29,300 in average six-year earnings, this is a heavy financial commitment for low-income families.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30-48k bracket pays $18,280 - virtually the same as the lowest tier. The $48-75k range rises to $18,724 and $75-110k reaches $21,296. The cost structure is remarkably flat across income tiers, suggesting limited income-based differentiation in aid. Middle-income families will pay roughly $74,000-$85,000 over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110k pay $25,958 - close to the $33,640 list price. Over four years, about $104,000. With median 10-year earnings of $42,368 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.820, high-income families should have a clear reason - beyond faith community fit - to choose Asbury.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Asbury University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $46,016 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,117 | A |
| Teacher Education | $40,890 | D |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Asbury's standout program with 30 graduates producing early-career median earnings of $67,117. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.240 (A grade) and $16,125 in median debt make this the only program at Asbury with genuinely strong ROI metrics. This program benefits from Asbury's location in central Kentucky, close to Lexington and Cincinnati job markets, and from strong alumni networks in Christian business communities. Four-year earnings data is unavailable, but the A-grade one-year figure is notable. Students entering business at Asbury with a clear career focus appear to outperform the institutional median by a wide margin.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 17 graduates annually. Early-career pay of $39,215 and four-year median of $40,890 (D grade) with $28,000 in median debt (ratio 0.714) reflect a program where earnings barely exceed the debt load at year one and barely grow through year four.
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication produces 39 graduates annually - the largest program by graduate count. Early-career pay of $25,879 rises to $46,016 by year four (D grade) with $24,289 in median debt (ratio 0.939). Year-one earnings of $25,879 against debt of $24,000 creates immediate financial stress. This is a program where passion for media work drives enrollment, not earnings expectations. Students should understand the financial trajectory clearly before committing: most media careers require years of underpaid work before reaching sustainable income levels.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 75.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Asbury 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 | 63.4% |
| Enrollment | 1,420 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 27.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,374 |
Asbury admits 63% of applicants. This school does not report SAT or ACT range data, so the statistical admissions picture is unavailable. The school's selectivity is driven as much by cultural and religious fit as academic profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Asbury's value proposition rests almost entirely on its community, not its financial returns.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbury University (this school) | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Arizona Christian University | 30 | $32,839 | $51,612 |
| Manhattan Christian College | 29 | $24,213 | $48,860 |
| Belhaven University | 29 | $15,676 | $46,440 |
| Central Christian College of Kansas | 28 | $11,404 | $44,468 |
| Liberty University | 28 | $29,357 | $44,813 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Asbury University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Asbury does not report SAT or ACT range data. The 63% acceptance rate is moderately selective. The 28% Pell rate is moderate. Asbury's student body is primarily drawn from evangelical Christian communities across the US, often from families comfortable with the school's theological commitments. Students who thrive here are deeply invested in the campus spiritual community and often pursue vocational ministry, education, or media.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Asbury University scores 29/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $21,401 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,368 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 30.6 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 0.82 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,028 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82. 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.
Asbury University: Common Questions
Is Asbury University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Asbury University scores 29/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $21,401 a year after aid against $42,368 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 30.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Asbury 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 $21,401 a year, or roughly $85,604 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 Asbury University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,368 ten years after enrolling, roughly $568 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 Asbury 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 30.6 years for Asbury University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Asbury University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,028, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82. 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 Asbury University?
The six-year graduation rate is 65.0%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.