Crown College
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota · Private Nonprofit · 22.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Crown College earns 33 ROI in the Below Benchmark tier - a result driven by Christian-college economics where many students choose ministry-track careers and moderate-earning paths. Tuition is $31,410, net price after aid is $26,672, and four-year total cost runs $106,688. Median earnings ten years out are $48,057, with a 0.674 debt-to-earnings ratio and 18.9-year payback period. Median debt of $22,500 is reasonable. The strongest sub-score by far is repayment at 82.1% (scoring 77/100), suggesting Crown graduates are diligent about staying on payment schedules even at modest incomes - a reflection of the institution's culture. Completion sits at 45.4%, mediocre. The earnings premium of 0.122 is low, but this is the predictable result of a student body channeling into Bible studies, religious education, pastoral counseling, and teaching rather than high-income tracks. Nursing is the standout high-ROI program.
How Crown College 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.9 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Crown College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $31,410/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,410/yr |
| Average net price | $26,672/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $106,688 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,057 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $239 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 45.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 796 |
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: $31,410/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $26,672/year, or roughly $106,688 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 $24,270/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,874/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,500, which works out to about $239 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,400) and comes to 0.67, 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 | $24,270 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,318 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,499 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,777 |
| $110,001+ | $30,874 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $24,270 - actually more than the $21,318 paid by families in the $30,001-$48,000 bracket. Over four years, low-income families spend close to $100,000 against a $48,057 ten-year earnings median.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket gets the best price at $21,318, climbing modestly to $22,499 for $48,001-$75,000, then steepening to $27,777 for $75,001-$110,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $30,874 - within $600 of the $31,410 sticker. At full freight, this only makes sense for families specifically choosing Crown's denominational identity and student-life environment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Crown College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Psychology | $60,077 | D |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $46,800 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $56,895 | C+ |
| Religious Education | $36,826 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,956 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $79,743 | B |
| Psychology | $48,095 | C+ |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $32,718 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $54,958 | - |
| Teacher Education | $35,598 | - |
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.
Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology is the largest program at 22 graduates with four-year earnings of $60,077 against a hefty $46,863 in median debt - a D grade and 0.78 ratio. The high debt suggests many graduates continue to master's or doctoral programs; the bachelor's-level number understates outcomes for those who complete clinical credentials. For students stopping at the bachelor's, the financial profile is rough.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Biblical Studies graduated 19 with first-year earnings of $27,273 against $26,574 in debt - a 0.974 ratio and D grade. The four-year earnings rise to $46,800, suggesting graduates eventually settle into ministry or related work with modest pay growth. PSLF should be central to any post-graduation plan for students entering 501(c)(3) ministry employment.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business produced 17 graduates with four-year earnings of $56,895 against $27,000 in debt - a C+ grade and 0.475 ratio. This is Crown's most defensible non-nursing program from a pure ROI standpoint, with reasonable earnings trajectory and contained debt. Solid choice for students wanting a faith-aligned business education.
Religious Education
Religious Education graduated 16 with first-year earnings of $32,276 climbing to $36,826, against $25,937 in debt - a D grade and 0.804 ratio. Earnings growth is shallow, which is the structural reality of church-employment compensation. Students choosing this path need PSLF and modest lifestyle expectations baked into the financial plan.
Registered Nursing
Nursing produced 13 graduates with first-year earnings of $63,539 climbing to $79,743, against $27,000 in debt - a B grade and 0.425 ratio. This is Crown's strongest ROI program by far and the clearest financial-fit pathway for students who want a faith-aligned BSN. The credential travels widely; outcomes here genuinely justify Crown's net price.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Crown College’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 | 22.8% |
| Enrollment | 796 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,375 |
Crown reports a 22.78% admission rate. Faith-statement requirements, pastor recommendations, and Christian-and-Missionary-Alliance denominational ties narrow the applicant pool considerably. SAT/ACT data is not reported, consistent with test-optional admissions. The selective-looking admit rate paired with a 45.4% completion rate suggests Crown screens for mission fit but academic-readiness variance still drives completion outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown College (this school) | 33 | $26,672 | $48,057 |
| Augsburg University | 53 | $23,873 | $58,829 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Bethany Lutheran College | 35 | $20,148 | $46,110 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
Who Thrives Here
With 796 students and a 24.4% Pell rate, Crown serves a predominantly middle-class evangelical Christian student body, many drawn by the Christian and Missionary Alliance denominational identity. Best fit: students called to ministry, missions, Christian counseling, or Christian-school teaching who accept modest income trajectories. Decent fit: nursing students who want a faith-aligned program.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Crown College scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $26,672 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,057 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.9 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: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 45.4% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. 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.
Crown College: Common Questions
Is Crown College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Crown College scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $26,672 a year after aid against $48,057 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.9 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Crown College 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 $26,672 a year, or roughly $106,688 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 Crown College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,057 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,257 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 Crown College?
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 18.9 years for Crown College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Crown College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,500, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. 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 Crown College?
The six-year graduation rate is 45.4%. 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.