Carson-Newman University
Jefferson City, Tennessee · Private Nonprofit · 90.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Carson-Newman University scores 39 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The three numbers that define that rating: $33,900 average 6-year earnings, a 16.5-year payback period, and a 53.2% completion rate. Nearly half of enrolled students do not complete a degree. Sticker tuition of $34,700 is cut to a $20,251 net price by aid, but that still produces $81,004 in four-year net cost against median earnings that do not support a favorable debt-to-earnings ratio (0.634). The repayment rate at 3 years is 77.1%, but it does not offset the weak earnings and incomplete degree track record. Registered Nursing is the clear standout: 47 graduates, $56,509 year one, $70,769 at year four, B-grade ROI. Accounting (7 graduates) reaches $64,634 at four years with a B-grade ROI. Business Administration (51 graduates) earns $42,904 year one and $64,503 at four years. Beyond those fields, outcomes fall off sharply: Psychology (35 graduates) earns $28,217 year one, and Kinesiology (47 graduates) earns $25,972 year one against $25,625 median debt. The institution's faith-based identity, small enrollment (1,387), and Tennessee location may attract students for reasons that extend beyond financial return - but the Scorecard data warrants transparency.
How Carson-Newman 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 Score39/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Carson-Newman University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,700/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,700/yr |
| Average net price | $20,251/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $81,004 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,382 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,387 |
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: $34,700/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,251/year, or roughly $81,004 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 $16,672/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,621/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 ($33,900) and comes to 0.63, 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 | $16,672 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,446 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,313 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,209 |
| $110,001+ | $28,621 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $16,672 per year at Carson-Newman - high relative to earnings. Over four years, that is roughly $66,700 for an institution with $33,900 average 6-year earnings. Low-income students who complete a nursing or business degree may achieve positive outcomes, but the combination of high relative net price and a 53% completion rate creates significant risk. The repayment rate is 77.1% at three years, but the payback period of 16.5 years signals persistent debt stress.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $17,313 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $21,209. Middle-income families need to pressure-test their student's program selection against these numbers. Nursing and accounting graduates can justify the cost; students in arts, social sciences, or general education face a difficult debt-to-earnings picture regardless of income bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $28,621 per year - about $114,500 over four years. At 16.5-year payback and $33,900 average earnings, the full-pay case is weak. The faith community and campus experience may justify this for families where the non-financial value is high, but on earnings alone, the comparison is $33,900 average earnings against $114,500 in four-year cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Carson-Newman University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,503 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $70,769 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $44,311 | D |
| Psychology | $37,992 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $45,780 | C |
| Teacher Education | $42,340 | C |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $43,115 | - |
| Special Education and Teaching | $44,404 | B |
| Accounting | $64,634 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $46,614 | 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 Carson-Newman's strongest program with 47 graduates, $56,509 year-one earnings, and $70,769 at four years - B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.442, median debt $25,000). Relative to the $20,251 net price, nursing at Carson-Newman can produce a positive return for students who complete the degree. The caveat: completing a nursing degree at a school with a 53% completion rate requires discipline and support that not all students will have.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (51 graduates) earns $42,904 year one and $64,503 at four years with a C+-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.524, median debt $22,477). The four-year trajectory to $64,503 is reasonable against the net price, though the debt-to-earnings ratio is not clean. Students entering business with clear career intentions - accounting, financial services, management - face better odds than the institutional average.
Psychology
Psychology (35 graduates) earns $28,217 year one and $37,992 at four years - D-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.895, median debt $25,250). These numbers are weak in absolute terms and relative to debt. Psychology graduates who do not proceed to graduate clinical programs face limited near-term earnings, and graduate training adds cost and time not captured here. Students interested in psychology should consider carefully whether a terminal bachelor's degree from this institution produces sufficient returns without advanced credentials.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (47 graduates) earns $25,972 year one and $44,311 at four years against $25,625 median debt - a D-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.987). The year-one figure reflects early-career physical therapy assistant, personal training, and coaching roles that do not require graduate training but pay modestly.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (14 graduates) posts $43,685 year one and $42,340 at four years - an unusual decrease that likely reflects cohort variation - with a C-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.607, median debt $26,500). Teacher salaries in rural Tennessee cap the earnings ceiling for this program. The C-grade ROI reflects the combination of a private-school net price and constrained teacher salaries.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 72.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Carson-Newman 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 | 90.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 455-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-645 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-25 |
| Enrollment | 1,387 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,387 |
At 90.5%, Carson-Newman's admission rate is near-open access. The practical question is not admission but completion and program alignment - half of enrolled students do not finish, so applicants should assess their own completion risk honestly before enrolling.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson-Newman University (this school) | 39 | $20,251 | $48,382 |
| Eastern Nazarene College | 40 | $25,381 | $54,727 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | 39 | $28,354 | $49,232 |
| Huntington University | 38 | $19,310 | $46,672 |
| Houghton University | 38 | $20,519 | $46,721 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | 30 | $12,074 | $39,863 |
Who Thrives Here
Carson-Newman admits 90.5% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 455-570 Math and 500-645 Reading; ACT composite 19-25. Enrollment of 1,387 is small, and the Pell rate of 33.4% reflects a modest but present lower-income student share. The university is a Baptist-affiliated liberal arts institution in Jefferson City, TN. Students motivated by the faith environment, small campus community, and access to nursing or business programs have a path to reasonable outcomes, but the 53.2% completion rate signals that many students face real barriers to graduating. Strong pre-enrollment advising about program selection and completion planning matters here.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Carson-Newman University scores 39/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,251 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,382 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.5 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 0.63 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. 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.
Carson-Newman University: Common Questions
Is Carson-Newman University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Carson-Newman University scores 39/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,251 a year after aid against $48,382 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Carson-Newman 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 $20,251 a year, or roughly $81,004 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 Carson-Newman University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,382 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,582 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 Carson-Newman 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 16.5 years for Carson-Newman University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Carson-Newman University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,500, against average earnings of $33,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. 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 Carson-Newman University?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.2%. 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.