Concord University
Athens, West Virginia · Public · 92.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Concord University earns a 30 ROI score and the Below Benchmark tier rating. The cost story is genuinely good - in-state tuition of $10,664 (out-of-state $22,000) and a net price of $9,966 produce four-year cost of just $39,864. But the earnings story drags everything else down: average earnings six years out are just $28,900, climbing to a median $42,703 by year ten, producing a 19.3 percent earnings premium and a 23.3-year payback period. Median debt is moderate at $18,900, but the 0.654 debt-to-earnings ratio is heavy because of those weak earnings. The 39 percent six-year completion rate is the worst structural problem: fewer than two in five students graduate. The 61.7 percent five-year repayment rate is similarly weak. Concord is a small, affordable, accessible Appalachian regional public whose ROI math is fundamentally limited by the depressed earnings ceiling of southern West Virginia's economy.
How Concord 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 Score30/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate39.0% - 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 period23.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Concord University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,664/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,000/yr |
| Average net price | $9,966/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $39,864 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,703 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,900 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $200 |
| Estimated payback period | 23.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,504 |
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: $10,664/year ($22,000/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $9,966/year, or roughly $39,864 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 $8,021/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,472/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,900, which works out to about $200 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,900) and comes to 0.65, 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 | $8,021 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,930 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,438 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,336 |
| $110,001+ | $15,472 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Lowest-income families pay $8,021 net annually - with the $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually paying less at $6,930, a mild inversion. Roughly $32,000 over four years for Pell-eligible students against $28,900 six-year earnings is workable in absolute dollars but reflects the fundamental challenge: even at low cost, low earnings limit the upside. Maximum Pell plus state aid typically covers most of the bill.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $6,930 ($30K-$48K) - the cheapest band on campus - $10,438 ($48K-$75K), and $13,336 ($75K-$110K). Concord remains very affordable across all middle-income tiers, with four-year totals running $28K-$53K. Affordability is not the issue; earnings outcomes are.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families pay $15,472 net annually - approximately $62,000 over four years. With median 10-year earnings of $42,703, the math is workable but unimpressive.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Concord University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $39,566 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $45,815 | C |
| Teacher Education | $44,168 | C+ |
| Biology | $52,670 | D |
| Social Work | $46,324 | C+ |
| Psychology | $41,259 | D |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $34,925 | - |
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.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 30 students with first-year earnings of $42,081 climbing only modestly to $44,168 by year four - the relatively flat trajectory typical of public-school teaching. Median debt of $20,209 produces a 0.48 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade. The financial math works only because Concord's cost structure is so low; at any private-college price, this would be a difficult financial case.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 40 students with $33,348 first-year and $45,815 four-year earnings. Median debt of $18,900 produces a 0.567 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Career paths spread across regional small employers; outcomes scale significantly with internship quality and student initiative. Students should target broader markets through internships if maximizing earnings is a priority.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 21 students with $35,930 first-year and $46,324 four-year earnings. Median debt of $18,967 produces a 0.528 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade - workable for the field thanks to Concord's low cost. Most strong career paths require graduate study (MSW, LCSW); the bachelor's is best treated as a stepping-stone.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences is Concord's largest program at 72 graduates with $32,499 first-year and $39,566 four-year earnings against median debt of $24,326 - producing a 0.749 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The combination of weak post-graduation earnings and elevated program-level debt is the worst pattern on campus. Students should consider whether a more focused major path produces better long-term outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 56.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Concord 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 | 92.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 390-530 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-560 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,504 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,270 |
Concord admits 92.6 percent of applicants - effectively open enrollment. SAT mid-50 percent ranges run 390-530 in Math and 440-560 in Reading, while ACT Composite spans 17-24. The 39 percent completion rate is poor relative to the access profile, indicating significant retention challenges that prospective students need to plan around. Many enrolled students do not graduate within six years.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concord University (this school) | 30 | $9,966 | $42,703 |
| Fairmont State University | 43 | $9,032 | $46,857 |
| Sul Ross State University | 31 | $13,286 | $41,871 |
| Adams State University | 29 | $12,980 | $44,372 |
| Henderson State University | 25 | $23,405 | $43,459 |
| Bluefield State University | 20 | $13,684 | $38,217 |
Who Thrives Here
Concord fits Southern West Virginia and Appalachian-region students seeking a low-cost, accessible four-year option with a teacher-education focus. Enrollment is small at 1,504 undergraduates and Pell rate runs 49.5 percent, indicating a heavily working-class student body. Strongest student outcomes flow to teacher-education and social-work graduates, both reaching C+ ROI grades. Students should walk in with a concrete career plan, particularly if entering teacher prep, given the realistic salary ceiling in regional school districts.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Concord University scores 30/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $9,966 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,703 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 23.3 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 39.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 61.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,900 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. 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.
Concord University: Common Questions
Is Concord University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Concord University scores 30/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $9,966 a year after aid against $42,703 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 23.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Concord 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 $9,966 a year, or roughly $39,864 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 Concord University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,703 ten years after enrolling, roughly $903 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 Concord 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 23.3 years for Concord University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Concord University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,900, against average earnings of $28,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. 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 Concord University?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.0%. 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.