Cameron University
Lawton, Oklahoma · Public
ROI Score: 20/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Cameron University scores 20 (Below Benchmark) on CampusROI. The 30.7% completion rate is low: fewer than 1 in 3 students who enroll earns a degree. A 35.9-year payback period reflects the combined effect of low completion, $30,400 average 6-year earnings, and $21,500 median debt. Admission rate and test score data are not reported by the Scorecard. In-state tuition is $7,095 and the net price averages $10,912 - low in absolute terms, but the financial return on even a low-cost degree is poor when fewer than a third of students complete it. Computer Science (13 graduates, 4-year earnings $83,565) is the standout exception, but the small cohort and missing debt data limit the reliability of that figure. The Pell grant rate of 38.8% reflects a high-need student population for whom poor completion outcomes carry especially severe consequences.
How Cameron 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 Score20/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate30.7% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period35.9 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Cameron University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,095/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,515/yr |
| Average net price | $10,912/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $43,648 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,118 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 35.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 30.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,492 |
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: $7,095/year ($16,515/year out-of-state), 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 $10,912/year, or roughly $43,648 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 $8,752/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,808/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,500, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($30,400) and comes to 0.71, 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 | $8,752 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,555 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,919 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,504 |
| $110,001+ | $15,808 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $8,752 per year at Cameron - $35,008 over four years. Against $30,400 average 6-year earnings and a 30.7% completion rate, even the low-cost scenario produces a poor return for most students. The critical risk is not the price - it is completion. A student who borrows $21,500 and does not complete a degree faces debt without the earnings premium that justifies it. Low-income students should rigorously investigate Cameron's academic support and persistence infrastructure before enrolling.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30001-48000 bracket pays $10,555 per year and the 48001-75000 bracket pays $11,919. These are low net prices in absolute terms - total 4-year costs of $42,000-$48,000. But the 35.9-year payback period is calculated on median aggregate outcomes, which include a large share of non-completers who leave with debt and no degree. Middle-income families should treat the low sticker price as a necessary condition, not a sufficient one, for the decision.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $75,001-$110,000 pay $16,504 per year and $110,000+ pay $15,808 - totaling $63,000-$66,000 over four years. For families with means, paying $66,000 for a degree producing $30,400 average 6-year earnings and a 30.7% completion rate is a poor allocation of resources.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Cameron University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $45,980 | D |
| Psychology | $44,045 | D |
| Teacher Education | $39,904 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $52,807 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,197 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $47,675 | C |
| Agriculture, General | $44,175 | - |
| Accounting | $59,406 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $49,021 | - |
| Biology | $34,533 | - |
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.
Accounting
Accounting (15 graduates) is the best-performing graded program: $44,520 year-one, $59,406 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.629 (ROI grade C). Median debt of $28,017 is the highest in the reported program mix. Accounting graduates from Cameron typically enter regional audit and tax roles in Oklahoma. The C grade reflects adequate but not strong debt-adjusted returns relative to the cost.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (27 graduates) earns $37,494 year-one and $46,197 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.542 (ROI grade C+). Median debt of $20,328 is the lowest among graded programs, which elevates the grade relative to programs carrying heavier debt loads. Year-one and four-year earnings are modest but reflect entry into law enforcement and corrections roles in southwest Oklahoma and the Fort Sill area.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is Cameron's second-largest program at 41 graduates. Year-one earnings are $41,453 and year-four drops slightly to $39,904 - a rare case of earnings declining over the four-year horizon, likely reflecting a mixed cohort of educators and career-changers. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.660 earns a C grade. Median debt is $27,375. Teacher Education graduates entering K-12 roles in Oklahoma public schools will find salaries constrained by state compensation structures.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Cameron's largest reported program at 51 graduates, and earns a D grade: $37,143 year-one, $45,980 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.727. Median debt is $27,000 against $37,143 starting earnings - the ratio creates sustained early-career financial pressure. The four-year figure of $45,980 shows limited earnings growth, suggesting that Cameron Business graduates are not entering high-trajectory professional tracks in large numbers.
Psychology
Psychology (44 graduates) earns $36,464 year-one and $44,045 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.758 (ROI grade D). Median debt is $27,625 against $36k starting earnings. The four-year earnings growth is modest. Students entering Psychology at Cameron without a clear plan for graduate school or a specific applied career track face a financially constrained outcome. The combination of low earnings and high relative debt is the defining pattern for this program.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 47.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 55.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Cameron 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
| Enrollment | 2,492 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,155 |
The Scorecard does not report an admission rate or standardized test data for Cameron University. Based on its open-access mission and demographic profile, Cameron is broadly accessible. Students are not screened by competitive academic criteria. Admission should not be the limiting factor for prospective students - completion is the primary risk to evaluate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Cameron's completion rate is 30.7%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron University (this school) | 20 | $10,912 | $40,118 |
| East Central University | 45 | $8,683 | $44,962 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Carolina | 22 | $12,945 | $30,626 |
| University of Guam | 20 | $8,598 | $35,946 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Ponce | 19 | $10,990 | $31,394 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Cameron University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Cameron University is a public institution in Lawton, Oklahoma, enrolling 2,492 students. Admission rate and standardized test ranges are not reported by the Scorecard. The Pell grant rate of 38.8% indicates a high share of lower-income students. Cameron serves commuter, military-affiliated (Fort Sill), and first-generation students in southwest Oklahoma. The institutional environment is open-access and regionally focused. Students considering Cameron should investigate support services and completion pathways carefully, given the 30.7% completion rate.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Cameron University scores 20/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,912 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,118 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 35.9 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 30.7% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $30,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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.
Cameron University: Common Questions
Is Cameron University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Cameron University scores 20/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,912 a year after aid against $40,118 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 35.9 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Cameron 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 $10,912 a year, or roughly $43,648 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 Cameron University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,118 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 Cameron 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 35.9 years for Cameron University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Cameron University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,500, against average earnings of $30,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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 Cameron University?
The six-year graduation rate is 30.7%. 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.