Blue Mountain Christian University
Blue Mountain, Mississippi · Private Nonprofit · 88.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Blue Mountain Christian University earns an overall ROI score of 27, in the Below Benchmark tier. The college is a very small (498 enrollment) Baptist-affiliated private in rural Mississippi, and the data reflect a difficult cost-to-outcomes mismatch. Sticker tuition is $20,180 but net price runs $24,016 - notably exceeding tuition due to fees and indirect costs. This is a structural anomaly worth flagging: the institution's average aid package does not offset the full cost-of-attendance, meaning typical students pay more than tuition. Four-year cost is $96,064. Median debt at graduation is $18,534, and against just $29,000 of six-year earnings produces a 0.639 debt-to-earnings ratio. The Scorecard payback period is 43.5 years. Ten-year earnings climb only modestly to $40,421 - the labor market in northeast Mississippi simply does not support strong wage outcomes. The earnings premium is just 5.6%, near the threshold of statistical noise. Completion rate is 54.8%, the strongest metric here. Repayment behavior shows real instability - 72.5% reduce principal at year 3 but that figure drops to 59.1% at year 5.
How Blue Mountain Christian 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 Score27/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period43.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Blue Mountain Christian University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $20,180/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,180/yr |
| Average net price | $24,016/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $96,064 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,421 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,534 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $196 |
| Estimated payback period | 43.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 54.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 498 |
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: $20,180/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 $24,016/year, or roughly $96,064 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 $23,112/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 $18,534, which works out to about $196 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($29,000) and comes to 0.64, 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 | $23,112 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,791 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,721 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,722 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $23,112 per year, with the $30,001-$48,000 bracket only slightly higher at $23,791. Four-year cost approaches $92,000-$95,000 for the lowest brackets - a heavy figure relative to typical $29,000 graduate earnings. The institutional aid is not scaling with need, which is concerning for the 28.8% of students who are Pell-eligible.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$110,000) pay $24,721 to $26,722 per year. Four-year cost ranges from $99,000 to $107,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for households over $110,000 is not reported, indicating either too few students in this bracket to publish or data suppression. The institution clearly does not serve a high-income demographic at meaningful scale - the sub-500 enrollment student body skews working and middle class.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Blue Mountain Christian University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $49,805 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $39,440 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $37,760 | - |
| Psychology | $33,003 | D |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $41,674 | - |
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 the largest program at 35 graduates yearly. Median first-year earnings of $42,394 and four-year earnings of $49,805 against $19,875 of debt produce a 0.469 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade - the strongest grade on campus. Career outcomes cluster in northeast Mississippi small-business management, regional retail, and ministry-adjacent administrative roles.
Teacher Education
Teacher education produces 19 graduates yearly with $36,029 first-year and $39,440 four-year earnings on $22,500 of debt. The 0.624 ratio earns a C grade. Mississippi public-school teacher salaries constrain the program's earnings ceiling significantly. PSLF planning is essential for graduates entering K-12 teaching.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical studies produces 15 graduates yearly with $41,674 first-year earnings - a surprisingly competitive figure that likely reflects ministry-track placements with denominational backing. Median debt is not reported. Career outcomes feed into Baptist church leadership, Christian school teaching, and missions work, all of which fit the institution's mission.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Subject-specific teacher education has 17 graduates yearly with $37,760 first-year earnings. Median debt is not reported. Career paths track Mississippi public and Christian-school subject teaching roles. As with general teacher education, the wage ceiling is constrained by Mississippi's K-12 salary structure.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 17 students yearly with $26,257 first-year earnings on $25,250 of debt - a 0.962 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Four-year earnings recover only modestly to $33,003. This is a structurally weak bachelor's-only outcome that requires graduate study to make the financial math work. Students should not enter this program without a clear MA or MSW plan.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 59.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Blue Mountain Christian 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 | 88.9% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-24 |
| Enrollment | 498 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,439 |
Blue Mountain admits 88.9% of applicants. The combination of a high admit rate with a 54.8% completion rate suggests reasonable student retention given the lightly selective entrance posture, though significant persistence risk remains for less-prepared students.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Christian University (this school) | 27 | $24,016 | $40,421 |
| Millsaps College | 43 | $26,034 | $53,848 |
| Calumet College of Saint Joseph | 29 | $22,451 | $46,945 |
| Belhaven University | 29 | $15,676 | $46,440 |
| University of the Southwest | 27 | $16,927 | $45,389 |
| Touro University Worldwide | 24 | $19,058 | $40,803 |
Who Thrives Here
Blue Mountain fits Mississippi students from rural northeast Mississippi and the Memphis-Tupelo corridor seeking a very small (498 enrollment) Baptist-affiliated college emphasizing biblical studies, teaching, and small-business pathways. Pell rate is 28.8%, indicating a more middle-class student body than expected. Outcomes are strongest for business administration graduates ($42,394 first-year). Students drawn to ministry, teaching, or psychology should evaluate the wage outcomes carefully and consider community-college transfer paths if cost is a major concern.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Blue Mountain Christian University scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $24,016 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,421 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 43.5 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 0.64 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,534 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. 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.
Blue Mountain Christian University: Common Questions
Is Blue Mountain Christian University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Blue Mountain Christian University scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $24,016 a year after aid against $40,421 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 43.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Blue Mountain Christian 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 $24,016 a year, or roughly $96,064 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 Blue Mountain Christian University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,421 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 Blue Mountain Christian 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 43.5 years for Blue Mountain Christian University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Blue Mountain Christian University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,534, against average earnings of $29,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. 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 Blue Mountain Christian University?
The six-year graduation rate is 54.8%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.