Corban University
Salem, Oregon · Private Nonprofit · 93.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 35/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Corban University scores 35 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The payback period of 18.1 years, average 6-year earnings of $33,100, and debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.684 reflect a financially challenging institution. Sticker tuition is $40,280 and net price of $28,035 is high relative to earnings outcomes. Corban is a small evangelical Christian liberal arts university in Salem, Oregon, with 678 students. The completion rate of 60.6% is moderate and the repayment rate of 74.8% is adequate. The Pell grant rate of 25.0% indicates a mix of low- and middle-income students. Program-level data is thin: Business Administration has 18 graduates, a C+ grade, and $42,690 in year-one earnings. Theological and Ministerial Studies (13 graduates) reaches $43,303 at year four without a year-one figure. Psychology (7 graduates, D grade) and English (5 graduates, D grade) have weak near-term earnings relative to debt. Corban attracts students seeking a faith-integrated liberal arts education rather than ROI optimization.
How Corban 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 Score35/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Corban University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,280/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,280/yr |
| Average net price | $28,035/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $112,140 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,917 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,625 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $240 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 60.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 678 |
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: $40,280/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $28,035/year, or roughly $112,140 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 $20,555/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,015/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,625, which works out to about $240 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,100) and comes to 0.68, 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 | $20,555 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,018 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,737 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,227 |
| $110,001+ | $33,015 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $20,555 per year. Against $33,100 average 6-year earnings and an 18.1-year payback, the financial case is difficult at any income level.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $22,737 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $31,227. The jump to $31,227 is steep for upper-middle-income families who are paying close to full cost.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $33,015 per year. At roughly $132,000 over four years, this is a poor financial investment by Scorecard metrics alone. High-income families choosing Corban are prioritizing religious community, faith formation, and Pacific Northwest evangelical culture over financial optimization - which is a legitimate choice that these metrics cannot measure.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Corban University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,719 | C+ |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $43,303 | - |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $48,080 | C+ |
| Psychology | $47,815 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $36,779 | D |
| Education, General | $42,243 | C |
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, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (18 graduates) is the strongest documented earner: $42,690 year one and $60,719 at year four, with a C+ grade (debt-to-earnings 0.504, median debt $21,500). The four-year jump to $60k is encouraging and consistent with career advancement in regional Oregon business roles.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological and Ministerial Studies (13 graduates) reaches $43,303 at year four (no year-one figure). Scorecard does not report a debt-to-earnings ratio or ROI grade for this program. Ministry-focused graduates enter pastoral, para-church, and mission work where earnings are structurally limited.
Psychology
Psychology (7 graduates) earns $32,244 year one and $47,815 at year four, with a D grade (debt-to-earnings 0.713, median debt $23,000). Year-one earnings are weak relative to the $23,000 debt. Most psychology bachelor's graduates here will need graduate school for meaningful career advancement, adding to an already high debt starting point.
English Language and Literature
English Language and Literature (5 graduates) earns $28,836 year one and $36,779 at year four, with a D grade (debt-to-earnings 0.936, median debt $27,000). Year-four earnings of $36,779 are barely above the annual debt amount at year one. The earnings trajectory is flat and the debt-to-earnings ratio is poor. English at a small private with open admissions and limited career services is a financially high-risk choice.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Corban 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 | 93.9% |
| Enrollment | 678 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 25.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,449 |
Corban's 93.9% admission rate indicates open access for students who meet its religious requirements. Scorecard does not report test score ranges. Admission is not a meaningful academic or competitive barrier; religious alignment with Corban's evangelical Christian doctrinal position is the primary enrollment criterion.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corban University (this school) | 35 | $28,035 | $48,917 |
| Evangel University | 35 | $18,669 | $46,573 |
| Rocky Mountain College | 35 | $19,751 | $49,036 |
| Colorado Christian University | 34 | $29,500 | $50,416 |
| William Carey University | 34 | $14,258 | $43,087 |
| Lancaster Bible College | 34 | $25,480 | $44,096 |
Who Thrives Here
Corban admits 93.9% of applicants - essentially open access for students who affirm its evangelical Christian Statement of Faith. Scorecard does not report test score ranges. Enrollment of 678 is very small. Students who value faith integration, small-community residential learning, and proximity to Salem/Portland are the natural fit. Students who expect the credential to drive high-earning employment directly from a bachelor's degree will find the Scorecard data discouraging.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Corban University scores 35/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $28,035 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,917 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.1 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 0.68 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,625 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. 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.
Corban University: Common Questions
Is Corban University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Corban University scores 35/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $28,035 a year after aid against $48,917 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Corban 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 $28,035 a year, or roughly $112,140 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 Corban University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,917 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,117 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 Corban 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 18.1 years for Corban University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Corban University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,625, against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. 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 Corban University?
The six-year graduation rate is 60.6%. 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.