Baptist University of Florida
Graceville, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 36.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Baptist University of Florida scores 31 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. This is a small, faith-based institution in Graceville, Florida with 360 enrolled students, oriented primarily toward ministry preparation and Christian service vocations. Average 6-year earnings are $29,300. The 23.2-year payback period and debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.805 are difficult. The 51.9% completion rate means roughly half of students do not finish. Net price of $10,372 is low in absolute terms - the primary offsetting factor here - but even this low cost produces a long payback given the typical graduate earnings. Theological and Ministerial Studies (14 graduates) earns $34,350 year-one and $42,322 at four years with a D-grade ROI. The institution explicitly serves students called to religious vocation; families choosing it should do so with clear-eyed understanding of the earnings data and a faith-centered mission rationale rather than financial return expectations.
How Baptist University of Florida 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 Score31/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period23.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Baptist University of Florida
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,000/yr |
| Average net price | $10,372/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $41,488 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,836 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,590 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $250 |
| Estimated payback period | 23.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 360 |
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: $15,000/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $10,372/year, or roughly $41,488 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 $8,754/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,590, which works out to about $250 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 0.81, 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 | $8,754 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,604 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,451 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $8,754 net per year at Baptist University of Florida - genuinely low in absolute terms, and a meaningful affordability advantage for students from low-income families pursuing ministry vocations. The financial risk is the 51.9% completion rate and the ministry-sector earnings ceiling, which limits the financial upside regardless of what the student borrows. Students who complete and enter ministry at BUF's low cost have a more manageable financial picture than those at higher-priced alternatives.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30001-48000 bracket pays $7,604 net per year - the lowest in the income schedule, reflecting the most favorable aid tier. The 48001-75000 bracket jumps to $13,451, suggesting the formula compresses sharply above $48,000. Middle-income families in the $30,000-$48,000 range see the best pricing. Regardless of income bracket, families should recognize that the financial return on investment here is measured in vocational fulfillment and faith formation rather than earnings premium.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price data for the $75,001 and above income brackets is not available in the Scorecard data. Higher-income families interested in Baptist University of Florida for its mission should contact the financial aid office directly.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Baptist University of Florida with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $42,322 | D |
| Psychology | $40,963 | - |
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.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological and Ministerial Studies (14 graduates) earns $34,350 at year one and $42,322 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.725 (ROI grade D). The earnings figures reflect the typical compensation of pastors, chaplains, youth ministers, and church staff in Florida's religious labor market. Median debt of $24,916 against $34,350 in year-one earnings creates ongoing repayment pressure. Students who borrow should model income-driven repayment from enrollment and understand that Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) may be available for those working at qualifying nonprofit religious organizations.
Psychology
Psychology (9 graduates) reports $40,963 at four years with no year-one earnings or ROI grade data. The graduate count is small enough to limit statistical confidence. Psychology at a faith-based institution often tracks toward counseling, social work, or graduate study in Christian counseling programs. Students in this field should research specific graduate program pathways from BUF and understand that four-year undergraduate earnings in psychology are typically a stepping stone rather than a terminal career stage.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Baptist University of Florida’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 | 36.0% |
| Enrollment | 360 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,515 |
Baptist University of Florida admits 36.0% of applicants. No test score ranges are reported. Admission is effectively a conversation about vocational fit and mission alignment rather than a standardized academic competition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist University of Florida (this school) | 31 | $10,372 | $42,836 |
| Barry University | 42 | $22,613 | $55,966 |
| Boricua College | 37 | $15,245 | $35,348 |
| Faith International University | 33 | $22,662 | $51,006 |
| University of the Southwest | 27 | $16,927 | $45,389 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | 9 | $12,030 | $38,518 |
Who Thrives Here
Baptist University of Florida admits 36.0% of applicants, making it modestly selective within its specific niche. No test score data is available. Enrollment of 360 students is very small, creating an intensely community-oriented environment. The Pell rate of 39.9% indicates significant financial need in the student body. The institution serves students with a specific religious calling - ministry, theology, Christian education, and related vocations. For those students, BUF's low cost, faith-formation focus, and community are the primary decision criteria; financial optimization is not the frame within which most families evaluate this school.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Baptist University of Florida scores 31/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,372 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,836 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 23.2 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, its 51.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,590 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,300 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.
Baptist University of Florida: Common Questions
Is Baptist University of Florida worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Baptist University of Florida scores 31/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,372 a year after aid against $42,836 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 23.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Baptist University of Florida 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 $10,372 a year, or roughly $41,488 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 Baptist University of Florida graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,836 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,036 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 Baptist University of Florida?
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 23.2 years for Baptist University of Florida. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Baptist University of Florida graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,590, against average earnings of $29,300 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 Baptist University of Florida?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.8%. 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.