Baker University
Baldwin City, Kansas · Private Nonprofit · 94.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 65/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Baker University, a small Methodist private in Baldwin City just south of Lawrence, Kansas, scores 65 out of 100 - a Fair Value tier rating that reflects a workable mix of moderate cost and respectable outcomes. Average earnings six years after entry are $48,500 (above the regional-private norm), climbing to a median $63,855 at year ten. Median debt is $25,000 against a 0.515 debt-to-earnings ratio. Payback period is 8.4 years. Completion rate is 57.8%, and repayment rate is 75.6%. Sticker tuition is $35,300; net price drops to $25,301 (institutional aid does meaningful work). Four-year total cost is $101,204. The 0.285 earnings premium is solid. The program data is sparse but shows a strong nursing program and decent business outcomes. Baker is a coherent ROI play with outcomes that justify the price for students targeting nursing or business.
Baker University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,300/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,300/yr |
| Average net price | $25,301/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $101,204 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,855 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $48,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,100 |
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: $35,300/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,301/year, or roughly $101,204 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 $21,057/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,800/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($48,500) and comes to 0.52, 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 | $21,057 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,530 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,470 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,166 |
| $110,001+ | $30,800 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $21,057 net annually - meaningful institutional aid against the $35,300 sticker, but still high in absolute terms. Pell + Kansas state aid help. Four-year exposure of about $84,000 against $48,500 average earnings is workable in the strong nursing program but tight elsewhere.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays the lowest net price at $18,530 - the institutional-aid sweet spot. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $23,470, and $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $27,166. Four-year cost runs $74,000-$109,000 across mid brackets.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $30,800 net per year - four-year cost approaches $123,000, near sticker. Institutional aid is thin at this tier.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Baker University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $78,233 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $74,399 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $55,380 | 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 Baker's flagship ROI program: 66 graduates per cohort, $70,720 first-year earnings rising to $78,233 by year four, $29,577 median debt, and a 0.418 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a B grade. Strong placement into Kansas City metro hospital networks (KU Health, Saint Luke's, Children's Mercy) drives outcomes. For ROI-focused students this is the clearest reason to choose Baker.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business admin produces 38 graduates with $59,145 first-year earnings, $74,399 by year four. The catch: median debt is unusually high at $41,057, producing a 0.694 ratio and a C grade. Students should aggressively pursue merit aid before committing.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences posts $40,704 first-year earnings, $55,380 by year four, $27,000 median debt, and a 0.663 ratio for a C grade. Earnings ramp is moderate. Liberal-arts majors at Baker face the structural ROI pressure inherent to the field; students should plan for graduate or professional school continuation or for industry-applied roles to make the math work.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Baker 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 | 94.2% |
| Enrollment | 1,100 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 25.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,570 |
Admission rate is 94.19% - effectively open access. The 57.8% completion rate is meaningfully above the open-access baseline, which suggests Baker selects reasonably from its applicant pool and supports students well. The small enrollment of 1,100 enables genuine close advising.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker University (this school) | 65 | $25,301 | $63,855 |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | 66 | $27,483 | $67,145 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Benedictine College | 45 | $27,891 | $53,175 |
| Bethany College | 31 | $27,686 | $49,694 |
Who Thrives Here
Baker fits Kansas-area students seeking a small Methodist liberal-arts environment with strong nursing and business programs and Division III athletics. Pell rate is 25.74% - middle-class skew, with enrollment of 1,100. The student profile that captures the strongest ROI: someone who arrives with reasonable academic prep, commits to nursing or business early, and benefits from the close-knit campus environment plus Kansas City and Topeka placement networks.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Baker University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $25,301 a year after aid ($101,204 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,855 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $48,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Baker University: Common Questions
Is Baker University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Baker University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 65/100 on our ROI scale. At $25,301 a year after aid ($101,204 over four years) against $63,855 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Baker 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 $25,301 a year, or roughly $101,204 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 Baker University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,855 ten years after enrolling, roughly $22,055 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 Baker 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 8.4 years for Baker University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Baker University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $48,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Baker University?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.8%. 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.