East Texas Baptist University
Marshall, Texas · Private Nonprofit · 57.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 40/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
East Texas Baptist University scores 40 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale, driven by a 47.1% completion rate, $34,800 average 6-year earnings, and a 13.2-year payback period. Sticker tuition of $30,680 and a net price of $23,911 are high for the outcomes produced. Median debt is $23,250 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.668 - graduates are paying 67 cents per year of earnings toward debt service. Registered Nursing (45 graduates) is the one clear exception at $74,452 first-year earnings and a B+ ROI grade; the remaining programs are weak.
How East Texas Baptist 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 Score40/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
East Texas Baptist University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $30,680/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $30,680/yr |
| Average net price | $23,911/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $95,644 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,788 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,352 |
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: $30,680/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $23,911/year, or roughly $95,644 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 $20,420/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,532/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,250, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,800) 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 | $20,420 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,417 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,141 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,297 |
| $110,001+ | $28,532 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income students (under $30,000) pay $20,420 net per year at ETBU. The 47.1% completion rate magnifies this risk: roughly half of low-income students who enroll will accumulate debt without earning a degree. For nursing-bound students with strong academic preparation, this cost may be justifiable; for general studies or undecided students, the 47.1% completion rate matters more.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $20,141 net per year - nearly identical to the lowest bracket, reflecting an aid structure that does not clearly reward income-tested need at this level. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $25,297.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,000+) pay $28,532 net per year - over $114,000 for four years. Against $34,800 average 6-year earnings, this represents an exceptionally poor financial return. Full-pay students choosing ETBU are making a values-based decision that the faith community, campus culture, and institutional mission outweigh the financial cost. That is a legitimate choice, but the numbers should be understood clearly.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at East Texas Baptist University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $74,452 | B+ |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $40,577 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $34,506 | D |
| Teacher Education | $44,547 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $46,855 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is ETBU's only program with strong earnings outcomes: 45 graduates, $74,452 first-year earnings, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.349 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $26,000 is manageable against immediate RN wages. East Texas has a persistent nursing shortage and ETBU's nursing graduates enter a favorable regional labor market. This is the program that makes ETBU worth considering - absent a nursing intention, the ROI case for the institution is very weak.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (5 graduates) earns $37,188 at year one and $46,855 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.590 (ROI grade C). The small graduate count suggests a very thin pipeline, limiting the data reliability. Business graduates from small regional Christian schools typically rely heavily on personal networks and local employer relationships, which may not be visible in the Scorecard data.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (13 graduates) earns $44,547 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.586 (ROI grade C) and median debt of $26,087. Texas teacher starting salaries are in this range, making the one-year figure predictable. The four-year data is not available in the Scorecard for this cohort, but teacher wages in Texas rise slowly through the first decade. Against $23,911 net price, teaching graduates face a long payback period unless they qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through employment in Title I schools.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (14 graduates) earns $34,506 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.782 (ROI grade D) and $27,000 median debt. These are poor outcomes relative to the cost of attendance. Entry-level criminal justice and public safety wages in East Texas are modest, and graduates carry debt that requires roughly 13 years to pay back at median income.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies is ETBU's largest non-nursing program at 40 graduates, with $31,652 first-year earnings, $40,577 at four years, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.851 (ROI grade D). This is a general studies track that produces the weakest financial outcomes on campus. Prospective students should understand that interdisciplinary general degrees at small private institutions have limited labor market signaling value.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 67.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How East Texas Baptist 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 | 57.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,352 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,437 |
ETBU admits 57.8% of applicants. No test score data is published. Admission selectivity is not the major risk here; completing the degree is - 47.1% of enrolled students earn a credential within the standard timeframe.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Texas Baptist University (this school) | 40 | $23,911 | $52,788 |
| Central Baptist College | 40 | $12,287 | $46,789 |
| Eastern Nazarene College | 40 | $25,381 | $54,727 |
| Oklahoma Christian University | 40 | $21,872 | $49,203 |
| Appalachian Bible College | 40 | $11,579 | $37,467 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | 30 | $12,074 | $39,863 |
Who Thrives Here
ETBU admits 57.8% of applicants (no SAT/ACT data published) at a small, faith-integrated campus in East Texas. At 1,352 students, the community is tight-knit and explicitly Christian in culture. The 32.2% Pell grant rate reflects a moderately low-income student body. This school fits students seeking a Christian liberal arts environment who either plan to enter nursing or are willing to accept lower near-term earnings in exchange for values alignment. It does not fit students whose primary criterion is financial return - the data is clear on that point.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, East Texas Baptist University scores 40/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $23,911 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $52,788 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 13.2 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 47.1% 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 $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,800 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.
East Texas Baptist University: Common Questions
Is East Texas Baptist University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. East Texas Baptist University scores 40/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $23,911 a year after aid against $52,788 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 13.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does East Texas Baptist 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 $23,911 a year, or roughly $95,644 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 Texas Baptist University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $52,788 ten years after enrolling, roughly $10,988 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 Texas Baptist 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 13.2 years for East Texas Baptist University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do East Texas Baptist University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $34,800 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 East Texas Baptist University?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.1%. 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.