Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 31/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Capella University earns a Below Benchmark ROI score of 31. The fundamentals are concerning: only 20% of students complete, the payback period stretches to 29.5 years, and median 10-year earnings of $42,189 are actually lower than average 6-year earnings of $51,500 - suggesting a graduate population whose earnings stall or decline mid-career rather than grow. Net price runs $17,956 against $14,400 in flat-rate tuition, and the 4-year published cost lands at $71,824. The lone bright spot is debt-to-earnings at 0.291 (subscore 95), driven by relatively low median undergraduate debt of $14,968 - but that figure understates total debt because Capella is heavily graduate-focused, with most borrowing happening at the master's and doctoral level. Repayment rate sits at 59.5% (subscore 17). As a fully online for-profit, Capella's bachelor-level outcomes are not where this school's value - if any - typically lives. Working professionals using employer tuition reimbursement face very different math than traditional borrowers do.
How Capella 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 Score31/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate20.0% - 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 period29.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Capella University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,400/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,400/yr |
| Average net price | $17,956/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $71,824 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,189 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $51,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,968 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $159 |
| Estimated payback period | 29.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 20.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 18,364 |
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: $14,400/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 $17,956/year, or roughly $71,824 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 $17,485/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,820/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $14,968, which works out to about $159 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($51,500) and comes to 0.29, 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 | $17,485 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,324 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,490 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,292 |
| $110,001+ | $22,820 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $17,485, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $17,324 - functionally flat aid across low-income brackets. Four-year cost lands near $69,000-$70,000.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $17,490 - essentially identical to the lowest brackets, indicating the institution offers minimal need-based aid. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket steps up to $21,292. Middle-income families pay close to sticker without much aid offset. Given the for-profit structure and weak overall outcomes, working-adult students with employer tuition benefits represent the only middle-income segment for whom the math may pencil out.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $22,820 net annually - close to full sticker. With 10-year median earnings of $42,189, the lifetime earnings premium does not justify a six-figure full-pay outlay.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Capella University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $97,211 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $87,997 | C+ |
| Psychology | $51,571 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $76,334 | C |
| Human Resources Management | $76,004 | C |
| Accounting | $71,589 | C+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $99,561 | C+ |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration | $109,194 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $59,375 | D |
| Marketing | $80,588 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is by far Capella's strongest program, with 5,561 graduates - the largest single program in the school. Median earnings of $85,426 one year out and $97,211 by year four against $27,826 in debt produce a 0.326 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. Most students are likely RN-to-BSN completers entering with active licensure, which explains the strong post-completion earnings. This is the program where Capella's online flexibility creates real value.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration produces 597 graduates with $68,701 first-year and $87,997 four-year earnings. Debt of $33,750 yields a 0.491 ratio and a C+ grade. Most completers are mid-career professionals adding a credential to existing work experience, which inflates outcomes relative to traditional-track equivalents. New-to-workforce borrowers should not expect these numbers.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health administration graduates 293 students with $62,091 first-year earnings rising to $76,334 by year four. Debt of $39,692 is heavy, producing a 0.639 ratio and a C grade. The healthcare administration field rewards experience over credentials at the bachelor's level, so this program works best for students already employed in healthcare settings adding the degree to advance internally.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer Sciences earns a C+ with $74,674 first-year earnings climbing to $99,561 by year four - one of the better growth curves on campus. Debt of $37,539 produces a 0.503 ratio. The program serves 82 graduates annually. Strong career-path optionality in IT operations and systems administration, but completion risk remains the dominant variable.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 556 students annually - a large program - but earns an F grade. First-year earnings of $39,764 against $40,816 in debt yield a 1.026 debt-to-earnings ratio: typical borrowers leave with debt larger than their first-year salary. By year four earnings only reach $51,571. Bachelor-level psychology requires graduate study to translate into livable wages, which compounds the borrowing problem. This is the highest-risk track on the program list.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 51.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 59.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 32.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 49.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Capella 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 | 18,364 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,627 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and Capella does not publish standardized test medians. SAT and ACT distributions are unavailable. Open-access policies correlate predictably with the 20% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capella University (this school) | 31 | $17,956 | $42,189 |
| DeVry University-New Jersey | 32 | $26,565 | $45,987 |
| DeVry College of New York | 31 | $12,855 | $45,987 |
| Grand Canyon University | 25 | $22,472 | $42,186 |
| Strayer University-Florida | 24 | $16,064 | $40,092 |
| DeVry University-Ohio | 23 | $25,001 | $45,987 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Capella University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is large at 18,364 students, with 38.5% Pell-eligible - skewing heavily toward working adults rather than traditional 18-22-year-olds. The fit is narrow: mid-career professionals using employer tuition assistance to credential-up in nursing, IT, or healthcare administration may genuinely benefit. Traditional-age students borrowing the full sticker price face very weak completion odds and stagnant 10-year earnings. The nursing program (5,561 graduates, B+ ROI) is the only standout track. Outside that, undergraduate-only borrowers should treat Capella as a high-risk option.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Capella University scores 31/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,956 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,189 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 29.5 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 it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 20.0% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 59.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $14,968 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $51,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Capella University: Common Questions
Is Capella University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Capella University scores 31/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,956 a year after aid against $42,189 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 29.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Capella 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 $17,956 a year, or roughly $71,824 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 Capella University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,189 ten years after enrolling, roughly $389 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 Capella 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 29.5 years for Capella University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Capella University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,968, against average earnings of $51,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29. 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 Capella University?
The six-year graduation rate is 20.0%. 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.