Baptist University of the Americas
San Antonio, Texas · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 34/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Baptist University of the Americas scores 34/100 in the Below Benchmark tier - a number that masks a more nuanced picture. The good news: the completion rate is 80%, median debt is not reported (most students take no federal loans), so our debt measure gets a neutral middle score, and tuition is $9,180. The bad news is that median earnings ten years after entry are only $37,709, producing a 67.9-year payback period - meaning the school's modest $43,856 four-year cost still struggles to recoup against the wages graduates actually earn. The earnings premium over Texas high-school-only earners is just 6.2%. Net price ($10,964) actually exceeds in-state tuition, indicating institutional aid is thin and most listed cost is fees and living. With only 99 students enrolled and no programs reporting in Scorecard, the data picture is incomplete and the repayment rate is imputed. As of 2024-2025, this is a mission-driven Hispanic-serving Baptist institution whose ROI math works only because costs stay low - the earnings ceiling is the real constraint.
How Baptist University of the Americas 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 Score34/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Baptist University of the Americas
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,180/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $9,180/yr |
| Average net price | $10,964/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $43,856 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $37,709 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | N/A |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 80.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 99 |
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: $9,180/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $10,964/year, or roughly $43,856 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 $12,338/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $9,617/year.
The Department of Education does not report a median debt figure for this school, usually because too few students borrow federal loans for the figure to be published. Our ROI score gives this measure a neutral middle value rather than treating it as zero debt.
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 | $12,338 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,264 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,505 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $3,877 |
| $110,001+ | $9,617 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $12,338 per year - notably, that's higher than the school-wide $10,964 average. Over four years that runs roughly $49,000. This is one of those cases where lower-income brackets pay more than expected because the school has limited institutional grant capacity. Pell aid covers a meaningful share, but families should run the calculator carefully.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $48,001-$75,000 range pay $12,505 annually, essentially the same as lower-income brackets. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket then drops to just $3,877 - an inverted pattern that flags as an anomaly worth questioning. Middle-income families should ask admissions directly about how the price actually shakes out for their situation.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $9,617 - lower than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket above and lower than the school-wide average. This is another inverted bracket. The published numbers may reflect small-sample noise (with 99 total students, very few in each income tier). Treat all bracket prices as approximations and call admissions for a real quote.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 42.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Baptist University of the Americas’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 99 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 27.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $3,773 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and no SAT or ACT mid-ranges are published. With only 99 students enrolled, the school likely operates on rolling, mission-based admissions that emphasize fit and faith alignment over standardized testing. The 80% completion rate is strong evidence that admitted students - whatever the filter - persist to graduation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
BUA's distinct positioning is Hispanic-serving Baptist ministry training.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist University of the Americas (this school) | 34 | $10,964 | $37,709 |
| Abilene Christian University | 51 | $26,182 | $55,736 |
| Cleveland University-Kansas City | 50 | $35,764 | $52,304 |
| VanderCook College of Music | 43 | $19,780 | $47,863 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | 30 | $12,074 | $39,863 |
| Arlington Baptist University | 14 | $24,906 | $44,644 |
Who Thrives Here
BUA fits students called to bilingual or Hispanic-focused ministry, with a 27.6% Pell rate and a tiny 99-student enrollment that provides genuinely individualized attention. The 80% completion rate signals a community that supports students through to graduation. The trade-off is earnings: at $37,709 median ten-year earnings, this is not a school to choose for economic mobility. Students who treat the degree as vocational preparation for ministry rather than a financial investment will find the math workable.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Baptist University of the Americas scores 34/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,964 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $37,709 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 it has going for it: its 80.0% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a long payback period.
Baptist University of the Americas: Common Questions
Is Baptist University of the Americas worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Baptist University of the Americas scores 34/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,964 a year after aid against $37,709 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Baptist University of the Americas 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 $10,964 a year, or roughly $43,856 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 the Americas graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $37,709 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Baptist University of the Americas?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Baptist University of the Americas. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at Baptist University of the Americas?
The six-year graduation rate is 80.0%, 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.