East Central University
Ada, Oklahoma · Public · 58.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 45/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
East Central University, a public institution in Ada, OK, scores 45 on the ROI index in Below Average Value tier. Sticker tuition is $8,032 in-state, $17,842 out-of-state, with a net price of $8,683 - genuinely affordable. Average earnings at six years are $33,200, rising to a median $44,962 at 10 years. The earnings-premium subscore (64) is the strongest, reflecting the wage gain over a high-school baseline. Payback period is 17.5 years and debt-to-earnings is 0.532 against $17,671 median debt - moderate. The dragging factor is a 34.4% completion rate, which knocks the score significantly. Enrollment is 2,467, Pell rate 45%, and ECU operates as a regional public serving central Oklahoma. The deep program data shows clear winners (nursing, computer science, accounting all earn B/B+ grades) and clear weaknesses (humanities and human-services majors with D grades), so program selection drives outcomes substantially.
How East Central 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.
- 6-year graduation rate34.4% - 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 period17.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
East Central University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,032/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,842/yr |
| Average net price | $8,683/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $34,732 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,962 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,671 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $187 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,467 |
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: $8,032/year ($17,842/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $8,683/year, or roughly $34,732 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 $8,151/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $10,702/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,671, 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 ($33,200) and comes to 0.53, 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 | $8,151 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,402 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $7,155 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,154 |
| $110,001+ | $10,702 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Households at $0-$30,000 pay $8,151 net, while $30,001-$48,000 pays $6,402. At $33,200 six-year earnings, the cost-to-earnings ratio is workable across either bracket.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$48,001-$75,000 pays $7,155 - still below the median net price. $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $12,154, a meaningful step up. The middle-income aid curve is generous up to about $75K and then thins quickly. Note an inverted bracket: $30-48K pays less than $0-30K, a mild reverse-progressive pattern.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $10,702 - below the $75-110K band, another inversion worth flagging. Total 4-year cost around $43K is genuinely affordable by national standards, and against $44,962 ten-year median earnings, the math clears comfortably.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at East Central University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $78,578 | B+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,698 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $67,666 | B |
| Psychology | $42,253 | B |
| Human Services, General | $44,238 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $52,488 | C |
| Biology | $49,124 | D |
| Teacher Education | $41,552 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $36,280 | D |
| Accounting | $66,711 | B+ |
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 has 79 graduates, $71,297 first-year earnings, $78,578 at four years, $20,200 median debt, 0.283 debt-to-earnings, and a B+ ROI grade. This is a low-debt public-college nursing profile producing solid Oklahoma-market wages. Career paths run through Oklahoma hospital systems and rural-health placements. The B+ grade is well-earned and represents the kind of outcome ECU should foreground in recruiting.
Accounting
Accounting has 19 graduates, $46,419 first-year earnings, $66,711 at four years, $15,500 median debt, 0.334 debt-to-earnings, and a B+ ROI grade. The four-year earnings growth is excellent - 44% from year one to year four reflects CPA-track pay progression. Low debt against strong wage growth produces an outstanding ROI; this is another flagship program at ECU.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences has 66 graduates, $45,779 first-year earnings, $67,666 at four years, $20,200 median debt, 0.441 debt-to-earnings, and a B ROI grade. Strong four-year growth (48%) reflects technology-career trajectory. Earnings are strong for the Oklahoma market, and the debt is manageable. A core ECU strength.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education has 20 graduates, $40,370 first-year earnings, $41,552 at four years, $24,750 median debt, 0.613 debt-to-earnings, and a C ROI grade. Earnings growth is essentially flat - the standard Oklahoma teacher-pay step structure. The C grade reflects moderate debt against compressed wages. Teaching is a vocational choice; the math is workable on income-based repayment plans.
Psychology
Psychology has 41 graduates, $34,597 first-year earnings, $42,253 at four years, $15,000 median debt, 0.434 debt-to-earnings, and a B ROI grade. The B grade is unusual for psychology - driven entirely by the very low debt load ($15K, well below the national psych average). Earnings are typical for a psychology bachelor's. Career paths often route through graduate work; the low undergraduate debt makes that pathway financially viable.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 63.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 51.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 59.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How East Central 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 | 58.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-560 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-560 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 2,467 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 45.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,650 |
Admission rate is 58.1%, with SAT mid-range 440-560 math, 460-560 reading, and ACT mid-range 17-24. Selectivity is moderate. The 34.4% completion rate is well below what the admit profile predicts.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Central University (this school) | 45 | $8,683 | $44,962 |
| Minnesota State University Moorhead | 51 | $17,997 | $50,527 |
| University of Hawaii at Hilo | 47 | $11,856 | $47,856 |
| Wayne State College | 46 | $15,360 | $47,075 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
| Cameron University | 20 | $10,912 | $40,118 |
Who Thrives Here
Fits Oklahoma residents, particularly from the Ada region, seeking affordable public-college access with strong nursing, accounting, and computer-science pathways. Outcomes are clearly bifurcated by major - students entering nursing, computer/information sciences, accounting, or social work see B-grade ROI; students in liberal arts and human services face D-grade outcomes. Program selection is the single biggest ROI lever here.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for East Central University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $8,683 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $44,962 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 17.5 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: its 34.4% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 63.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $17,671 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53, 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.
East Central University: Common Questions
Is East Central University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. East Central University scores 45/100 on our ROI scale. At $8,683 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $44,962 ten years after entry, so it takes about 17.5 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does East Central 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 $8,683 a year, or roughly $34,732 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 East Central University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $44,962 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,162 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 East Central 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 17.5 years for East Central University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do East Central University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,671, against average earnings of $33,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53. 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 East Central University?
The six-year graduation rate is 34.4%. 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.