Campbellsville University
Campbellsville, Kentucky · Private Nonprofit · 79.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Campbellsville University, a Baptist-affiliated private nonprofit in central Kentucky, scores 25 on the CampusROI framework and lands in Below Benchmark tier. The institution has built a sizable online and adult-learner enrollment alongside its residential program (combined 2,840 students), and the data reflects that hybrid model. Tuition is $27,998, net price $19,341, and 4-year total cost $77,364. Average 6-year earnings of $28,700 climb to a median $41,583 at 10 years, with a 33-year payback period that means earnings struggle to recoup cost on standard discount terms. Median debt is moderate at $17,156, producing a 0.598 debt-to-earnings ratio. The drags on the score are completion rate (42%) and repayment rate (63.7%), both consistent with the part-time and online enrollment patterns that depress federal completion metrics. Campbellsville's nursing program is a clear bright spot, and the school's role as a regional credentialing pipeline for rural Kentucky is real even where the federal earnings data is unflattering.
How Campbellsville 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 Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period33 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Campbellsville University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $27,998/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $27,998/yr |
| Average net price | $19,341/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $77,364 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $41,583 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,156 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $182 |
| Estimated payback period | 33 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 42.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,840 |
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: $27,998/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,341/year, or roughly $77,364 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 $17,880/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,105/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,156, which works out to about $182 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,700) and comes to 0.60, 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 | $17,880 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,936 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,476 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,291 |
| $110,001+ | $23,105 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $17,880 net, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $17,936, essentially flat. Over four years, low-income families face roughly $71,520 of cost, which is heavy against $28,700 in 6-year earnings. Pell-eligible students can cover a meaningful share through Pell plus state grants, with the gap closed by federal loans.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $18,476 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $19,291. The aid curve is essentially flat through middle income, with very small bracket-to-bracket differences. Middle-income families effectively pay close to the school-wide average regardless of income.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $23,105 net, $4,893 below the $27,998 sticker. Campbellsville's pricing structure compresses across most income brackets and reserves modest additional pricing for the highest-income bracket. For high-income families, the value case rests on faith alignment and residential community rather than financial discount.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Campbellsville University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $59,805 | C |
| Social Work | $55,942 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $50,692 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $41,900 | C |
| Teacher Education | $36,564 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $79,651 | B |
| Psychology | $38,373 | D |
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 and Management
Business Administration is Campbellsville's largest reported program with 95 graduates, posting $36,749 in 1-year earnings and $59,805 at year four. The 0.671 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C grade against $24,675 of debt. The 4-year jump to $60K is healthier than the school median and reflects mid-career progression in regional employers and small-business management. Debt is comfortably serviceable on the 4-year wage.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 58 students with $34,852 in 1-year earnings and $55,942 at year four. The 0.785 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D grade against $27,360 of debt. The earnings curve from $35K to $56K is consistent with state-employed BSW progression and eventual MSW credentialing. Year-one debt service is tight; students should plan for MSW continuation to unlock the higher wage scale.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Campbellsville's standout ROI program: 20 graduates, $65,518 in 1-year earnings, $79,651 at year four, and a 0.435 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a B grade. Debt of $28,500 against $65K of starting pay is comfortably serviced, and the Kentucky hospital ecosystem (Norton, Baptist Health, UK HealthCare) provides direct placement. A clean value case for the nursing pathway.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 32 students with $36,849 in 1-year earnings and $41,900 at year four. The 0.585 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C grade against $21,550 of debt. The flat earnings curve is consistent with rural law-enforcement pay scales where progression is slow but pensioned. The credential is a gate for state police, federal LE, and corrections supervisor roles.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 24 students with $36,469 in 1-year earnings and $36,564 at year four. The 0.634 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C grade against $23,125 of debt. The very flat earnings curve is striking and reflects Kentucky teacher step-and-lane pay scales. Progression in salary requires master's-degree credit and years of service.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 63.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 52.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Campbellsville 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 | 79.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,840 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,787 |
Campbellsville admits 79.7% of applicants, an open-access posture appropriate for a regional Baptist private with mission-oriented outreach. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with the school's test-optional posture. The 42% completion rate against an open admit posture is the familiar regional-private pattern, with significant attrition tied to the online-learner cohort whose federal completion math is structurally unfavorable. Residential students fare better.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbellsville University (this school) | 25 | $19,341 | $41,583 |
| Lee University | 27 | $18,878 | $43,222 |
| Missouri Baptist University | 25 | $27,006 | $46,660 |
| North Greenville University | 25 | $21,063 | $43,035 |
| Charleston Southern University | 24 | $21,666 | $45,898 |
| Truett McConnell University | 23 | $22,227 | $46,700 |
Who Thrives Here
Campbellsville fits Kentucky and Tennessee students seeking a faith-affiliated residential experience plus a clear pre-professional target, particularly nursing, education, or social work. With 2,840 students and a 20% Pell rate, the campus skews mid-income and rural. Strong fits are students with denominational alignment, regional ties, and a defined nursing or teaching pathway. Online learners pursuing master's-level or degree-completion programs are a distinct subpopulation; the residential ROI calculus does not directly transfer to them.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Campbellsville University scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $19,341 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $41,583 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 33 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 42.0% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 63.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $17,156 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Campbellsville University: Common Questions
Is Campbellsville University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Campbellsville University scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $19,341 a year after aid against $41,583 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 33 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Campbellsville 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 $19,341 a year, or roughly $77,364 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 Campbellsville University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $41,583 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 Campbellsville 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 33 years for Campbellsville University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Campbellsville University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,156, against average earnings of $28,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Campbellsville University?
The six-year graduation rate is 42.0%. 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.