Brevard College
Brevard, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 42.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 19/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Brevard College scores 19 (Below Benchmark) under our methodology, alongside $32,280 sticker tuition, a 27.4-year payback period, $27,600 average 6-year earnings, a 48.8% completion rate, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.906. Nearly half of entering students do not complete a degree. Among those who do, average earnings after six years of $27,600 leave graduates unable to service their $25,000 median debt without severe financial strain - only 50% of borrowers were making progress on repayment at year one. The program array is thin (four Scorecard-reported programs), and most outcomes are weak. Only Criminal Justice (28 graduates, $39,000 year-one, $51,834 year-four) produces remotely adequate near-term earnings, and even that program carries a C ROI grade. The Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies program reports a debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.0 (F grade). Brevard is a small school (815 students) with an arts and outdoor focus in the North Carolina mountains, but the financial data does not support enrollment outside of a very specific personal fit.
How Brevard 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.
- ROI Score19/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period27.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Brevard College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,280/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,280/yr |
| Average net price | $23,509/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $94,036 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,545 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 27.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 815 |
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: $32,280/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $23,509/year, or roughly $94,036 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 $19,294/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,763/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 ($27,600) and comes to 0.91, 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 | $19,294 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,532 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,304 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,337 |
| $110,001+ | $28,763 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $19,294 net price per year at Brevard - about $77,000 over four years, assuming completion. Given the 48.8% completion rate, many low-income students will not reach graduation. Those who don't complete carry debt without credentials. At this income level, the financial risk is acute - Brevard's costs are high relative to the outcomes it produces.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $21,304; the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $25,337. A middle-income family spending $85,000-101,000 on a Brevard degree faces a 27.4-year payback period on the median outcome.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $28,763 net price per year - roughly $115,000 over four years. At $27,600 average 6-year earnings and a 27.4-year payback, the investment does not recoup in any standard financial scenario unless the student enters a field substantially above the school's earnings median. High-income families choosing Brevard are almost certainly prioritizing fit, outdoor culture, or arts identity over financial return.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Brevard College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $51,834 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $57,660 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $41,193 | - |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $26,605 | F |
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.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice is Brevard's best Scorecard-documented program: 28 graduates, $39,000 year-one, $51,834 year-four, with a C ROI grade (debt-to-earnings 0.667). Median debt of $26,000 against $39,000 year-one earnings is a meaningful burden, but at least manageable. This is the only program where Brevard graduates are earning above the school's average 6-year earnings of $27,600 at year one. Even so, a C grade reflects a modest return.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (28 graduates) earns $30,761 year-one and $57,660 year-four with a D ROI grade and 0.878 debt-to-earnings ratio. The year-four figure of $57,660 is encouraging but the near-term earnings are poor - $30,761 year-one against $27,000 median debt. Many graduates will not complete repayment on schedule. At $32,280 tuition for a business program at a school without regional employer relationships, the proposition is weak.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (3 graduates) reports a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.015 (F grade) - year-one earnings of $26,605 against $27,000 median debt. This small cohort is not statistically robust, but the directional signal is clear: graduates in this catch-all category are borrowing more than they earn in the first year after graduation. At small cohort sizes, these figures should be treated as indicative rather than definitive.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 50.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Brevard 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 | 42.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-26 |
| Enrollment | 815 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,053 |
A 42.2% admission rate is moderately selective. The school reports SAT ranges, suggesting it does consider test scores. Net prices range from $19,294 (lowest income bracket) to $28,763 (highest) - notably, the lowest-income students pay only modestly less than higher-income students. At $32,280 sticker and 48.8% completion, Pell-eligible students face the highest financial risk: they are most likely to take on debt and least likely to complete a credential that might justify it.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Brevard's ROI score is 19. Its completion rate (48.8%) and 27.4-year payback are the primary drivers of that score. Brevard's outdoor recreation and arts identity is genuine.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard College (this school) | 19 | $23,509 | $43,545 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 25 | $4,543 | $17,360 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 19 | $29,926 | $40,873 |
| Wilberforce University | 14 | $5,567 | $38,298 |
Who Thrives Here
Brevard admits 42.2% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 430-600 Math and 440-620 Reading (ACT 16-26). The wide test range reflects a selective-but-not-highly-selective admissions posture. Pell grant rate of 40.6% indicates a predominantly lower-income student body taking on debt at a school where completion and earnings outcomes are poor. At 815 students, the campus is intimate and arts-oriented. Students drawn to outdoor recreation, music, or creative fields are the self-selected applicant pool - these are fields where Scorecard earnings data is weakest.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Brevard College scores 19/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $23,509 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,545 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 27.4 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 48.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 61.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91. 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.
Brevard College: Common Questions
Is Brevard College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Brevard College scores 19/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $23,509 a year after aid against $43,545 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 27.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Brevard 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 $23,509 a year, or roughly $94,036 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 Brevard College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,545 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,745 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 Brevard 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 27.4 years for Brevard College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Brevard College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $27,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91. 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 Brevard College?
The six-year graduation rate is 48.8%. 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.