Berea College
Berea, Kentucky · Private Nonprofit · 19.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Berea College is a private liberal arts college in Berea, KY that charges no tuition and admits exclusively students who demonstrate financial need. The sticker tuition of $51,658 is irrelevant - the actual net price is $6,106 average, and low-income brackets pay $4,000-$8,000 per year all-in. This model is the reason an 83.7% Pell grant rate exists here: Berea serves students who would otherwise have very limited access to four-year college. The ROI score of 64 (Fair Value) is a number that requires careful context. The 20.2-year payback period is long. Average 6-year earnings of $27,100 are modest. But the investment being repaid is $6,000 per year - not $50,000. Against a cost of $24,000 total over four years, a 20-year payback period is materially different than the same payback period at a school charging $200,000 in total. The ROI algorithm does not fully capture this distinction. Graduates who finish carry a median debt of $3,591. The completion challenge is the real concern: 41.8% of enrolled students do not graduate.
How Berea College 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.
- Payback period20.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Berea College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $51,658/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $51,658/yr |
| Average net price | $6,106/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $24,424 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,150 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $3,591 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $38 |
| Estimated payback period | 20.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 58.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,513 |
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: $51,658/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $6,106/year, or roughly $24,424 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 $5,428/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $13,700/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $3,591, which works out to about $38 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($27,100) and comes to 0.13, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $5,428 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,598 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,132 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $7,570 |
| $110,001+ | $13,700 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $5,428 per year - essentially the room and board cost, since tuition is covered by Berea's endowment. Over four years that is roughly $21,000. Against average 6-year earnings of $27,100 - modest, but meaningful for students from households earning less than $30,000 - the investment is real and the graduation is what matters most. Low-income students who complete at Berea have likely made a cost-efficient college decision.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $4,598 per year - the lowest among all income brackets, reflecting Berea's model of concentrating the most aid on families just above the lowest tier. The 48,001-75,000 bracket pays $8,132, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket pays $7,570 - essentially flat. Berea's middle-income pricing is remarkably affordable at every bracket, though families in this range should note that the school's mission is primarily to serve lower-income students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $13,700 per year. Berea's student eligibility criteria for admission already screens for demonstrated financial need, so families in this bracket rarely qualify for admission. The $13,700 figure likely reflects exceptional circumstances.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Berea College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $82,491 | - |
| Communication and Media Studies | $41,723 | A |
| Biology | $32,729 | - |
| Psychology | $40,768 | - |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | $55,830 | - |
| Agriculture, General | $25,912 | - |
| English Language and Literature | $40,722 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $67,510 | - |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $29,013 | - |
| Education, General | $36,412 | - |
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
Registered Nursing (12 graduates, a small cohort) earns $67,510 at year one. Four-year earnings are not reported. This is Berea's highest year-one earner by a significant margin and reflects the national nursing shortage that has pushed entry-level RN salaries above $65,000 in most markets. Berea nursing graduates entering the Kentucky and Appalachian regional health systems face strong demand. At a total cost near $24,000 for four years, a nursing graduate earns $67,510 from year one. The small cohort (12 graduates) means this program, while promising, is not Berea's primary output.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration earns $44,627 at year one and $52,456 at four years. The graduate count is not reported for this program in the Scorecard. For a school with a $6,000 total net price, these earnings translate to an exceptionally favorable ROI at the individual level: graduates are earning seven times their annual education cost in the first year. The four-year stagnation (only $8,000 growth over four years) suggests graduates are entering lower-growth markets or roles in the Kentucky regional economy.
Computer and Information Sciences
Thirty-one CIS graduates earn $35,185 at year one and $82,491 at four years. Debt and ROI grade data are not available for this program in the Scorecard. At Berea's near-zero cost, CIS graduates are generating significant personal return even at the $35,185 year-one level.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies (26 graduates) earns $30,663 at year one and $41,723 at four years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.189 (ROI grade A) and $5,801 median debt reflect Berea's low-cost model: even communication graduates, who typically earn modestly, carry so little debt that the ratio remains clean. At $30,663 year-one and $5,801 median debt, the annual debt service is negligible. This is a program where the ROI case is built on cost containment, not earnings maximization.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Berea College’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 | 19.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 568-655 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 588-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 23-28 |
| Enrollment | 1,513 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 83.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,259 |
Berea admits 19.3% of applicants but does not admit students who do not demonstrate financial need. SAT Math 568-655, Reading 588-680; ACT 23-28. The financial aid requirement means the pool self-selects heavily: Berea receives applications from students who have researched the no-tuition model and are committed. Despite this self-selection, the completion rate is 58.2%, indicating that academic and personal challenges remain real even for motivated, need-qualified students.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Berea's ROI is 64, its completion rate is 58.2%, and its 6-year earnings are $27,100. The 20.2-year payback that drives Berea's score down is largely a function of the earnings level of graduates from a no-tuition school serving very-low-income students - the dollar cost per year is so low that even modest earnings represent reasonable returns. Traditional ROI metrics undercount Berea's value because they do not normalize for investment amount.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berea College (this school) | 64 | $6,106 | $43,150 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| St. Francis College | 57 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| Asbury University | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Alice Lloyd College | 18 | $18,600 | $40,573 |
Who Thrives Here
Berea's admissions model is unique: students must demonstrate financial need to be considered. The 19.3% admit rate is selective - Berea is not open enrollment, just need-blind in the opposite direction. SAT 568-655 Math, 588-680 Reading; ACT 23-28. The 84% Pell rate tells you who enrolls. Students who thrive here are self-motivated, academically capable, and need the no-tuition model to access college at all. All students work 10 hours per week in the school's labor program as part of the educational model. The 58% completion rate suggests that the combination of academic rigor, mandatory work, and the student population's life circumstances creates real attrition risk.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Berea College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $6,106 a year after aid ($24,424 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $43,150 a decade out, the cost takes about 20.2 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: a long payback period.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $3,591 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.13: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Berea College: Common Questions
Is Berea College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Berea College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 64/100 on our ROI scale. At $6,106 a year after aid ($24,424 over four years) against $43,150 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 20.2 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Berea College 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 $6,106 a year, or roughly $24,424 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 Berea College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,150 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,350 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 Berea College?
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 20.2 years for Berea College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Berea College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $3,591, against average earnings of $27,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.13. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Berea College?
The six-year graduation rate is 58.2%. 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.