Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Fayette, Missouri · Private Nonprofit · 56.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 40/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences scores 40 (Below Benchmark), with a 16.5-year payback period, 51.2% completion rate, and $35,000 average 6-year earnings. The small private Methodist school in Fayette, Missouri enrolls 1,040 students and charges $28,260 tuition with a net price of $22,766. Median debt of $17,619 produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.503. A 65.7% loan repayment rate indicates many graduates are not successfully paying down debt. Nursing is the only program producing above-average earnings; most other programs earn D or C grades on ROI.
How Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 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 Score40/100 - 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.
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $28,260/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,260/yr |
| Average net price | $22,766/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $91,064 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,991 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,619 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $187 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,040 |
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: $28,260/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $22,766/year, or roughly $91,064 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 $20,260/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,411/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,619, which works out to about $187 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,000) and comes to 0.50, 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 | $20,260 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,894 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,680 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,883 |
| $110,001+ | $27,411 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The $0-30,000 income bracket pays $20,260 per year. At four-year total cost around $81,000 against $35,000 average 6-year earnings and a 16.5-year payback, the financial case for low-income students is difficult outside nursing. The 40.3% Pell grant rate indicates substantial low-income enrollment in an institution with constrained earnings outcomes.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($30,001-75,000) pay $18,894-$20,680 per year. The aid structure compresses prices across income bands with only modest differentiation. For middle-income families in rural Missouri or surrounding states, the net price may feel affordable but the 51.2% completion rate and 16.5-year payback should weigh heavily in the decision.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $27,411 per year - about $110,000 over four years. Against $35,000 average 6-year earnings, full-pay makes sense only for nursing or health sciences students.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $85,140 | B |
| Business Administration and Management | $51,274 | C |
| Psychology | $42,219 | C |
| Teacher Education | $35,452 | C |
| Biology | $46,344 | C |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $51,637 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $45,805 | D |
| Computer Science | $59,648 | C+ |
| Accounting | $52,836 | C |
| Education, Other | $43,653 | - |
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
Registered Nursing (30 graduates) is the clear ROI leader: $73,569 year one, $85,140 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.367 (ROI grade B). Missouri nursing wages are lower than coastal markets but provide reliable employment in a rural-serving institution. Median debt of $27,000 is high relative to program cost, suggesting the overall institutional debt load rather than program-specific borrowing is driving this number.
Computer Science
Computer Science (10 graduates) earns $49,629 year one and $59,648 at year four with debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.504 (ROI grade C+). The four-year growth to $59k is modest. With only 10 graduates, the sample is small.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration (23 graduates) earns $39,435 year one and $51,274 at year four with debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.576 (ROI grade C). The C grade and modest earnings reflect rural Missouri placement into small business, retail management, and regional corporate roles. At 16.5-year institutional payback, the business track does not meaningfully outperform the median.
Psychology
Psychology (22 graduates) earns $36,323 year one and $42,219 at year four with debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.695 (ROI grade C). The C grade reflects low earnings against a $25,230 median debt load. Near-flat growth from year one to four ($36k to $42k) indicates graduates are not advancing quickly in their early careers. Psychology students who are not planning on graduate school should look carefully at career pathways before committing.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (19 graduates) earns $32,393 year one and $35,452 at year four - essentially flat earnings, reflecting Missouri public school salary floors. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.631 earns a C grade. Teachers at Central Methodist who pursue PSLF or Missouri loan forgiveness programs can partially offset the debt burden; those who don't face a debt-income gap that persists for years.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’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 | 56.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-555 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-490 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-23 |
| Enrollment | 1,040 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,712 |
Central Methodist accepts 56.9% of applicants. ACT 17-23 (composite mid-range) indicates a wide range of academic preparation in the incoming class. Admission is not the challenge; completion is. The 51.2% graduation rate means the school loses nearly half its students before degree completion.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (this school) | 40 | $22,766 | $48,991 |
| Avila University | 51 | $16,053 | $52,773 |
| Albertus Magnus College | 39 | $34,028 | $60,144 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| Mission University | 15 | $21,383 | $38,641 |
Who Thrives Here
Central Methodist fits students from Missouri and adjacent states who want a small residential Methodist liberal arts college experience and are specifically targeting nursing or health preparatory programs. The 56.9% acceptance rate is moderately selective but not rigorous - SAT Math 520-555 and Reading 440-490, ACT 17-23 indicate a broad range of academic preparation. The 51.2% completion rate is a significant institutional risk indicator.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences scores 40/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,766 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,991 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, its 51.2% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $17,619 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50, 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.
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Common Questions
Is Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences scores 40/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,766 a year after aid against $48,991 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 Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 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 $22,766 a year, or roughly $91,064 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 Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,991 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,191 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 Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
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 Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,619, against average earnings of $35,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50. 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 Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.2%. 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.