Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan · Public · 79.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 42/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Eastern Michigan University scores 42 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The central problems are a 46.4% completion rate, a 12-year payback period, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.708 - all reflecting an institution where a significant share of enrolled students borrow money and do not finish their degrees. Average 6-year earnings of $35,300 are modest. The repayment rate of 59.5% at three years is low, indicating a meaningful share of borrowers are not making progress on principal. Tuition of $16,240 (same in-state and out-of-state, an unusual pricing structure) and a $15,407 net price are moderately affordable. EMU's program profile shows wide dispersion: Nursing (335 graduates, $75,760 year one) and Construction Management (31 graduates, $71,798 year one) stand out clearly; Computer/IT Administration (57 graduates, $59,433 year one) and Accounting (76 graduates, $57,500 year one) are solid. Much of the rest of the portfolio is weak: English Language and Literature has an F-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 1.220); Communication Disorders has an F-grade (1.201); History has an F-grade (1.025); Graphic Communications has an F-grade (1.187). Students who complete health, technology, and business programs have defensible outcomes; students in arts, humanities, and social sciences face persistent debt stress.
How Eastern Michigan 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 Score42/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Eastern Michigan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,240/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,240/yr |
| Average net price | $15,407/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $61,628 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,793 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 12 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 10,055 |
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: $16,240/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $15,407/year, or roughly $61,628 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 $13,250/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,036/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,300) and comes to 0.71, 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 | $13,250 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,863 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,748 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,243 |
| $110,001+ | $21,036 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $13,250 per year at EMU. Over four years that is roughly $53,000. For low-income students who complete nursing or construction management, the returns are defensible. The 46% completion rate means low-income students face the highest risk of the worst outcome: debt without a degree. EMU's financial aid and retention support are critical factors for low-income student success.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $13,748 and the 75001-110000 bracket jumps to $18,243. These net prices are moderate in absolute terms but against $35,300 average earnings produce a 12-year payback. Program selection drives everything: nursing and accounting can justify the cost; humanities and social sciences cannot at these income levels.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $21,036 per year - roughly $84,000 over four years. At a 12-year payback and 46% completion rate, full-pay at EMU is a questionable financial commitment for most programs.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Eastern Michigan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $85,611 | B |
| Psychology | $48,346 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,233 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $48,994 | D |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $56,207 | D |
| Social Work | $52,962 | D |
| Marketing | $61,063 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $52,805 | D |
| Computer Science | $74,818 | - |
| Biology | $50,722 | D |
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
Nursing (335 graduates) is EMU's largest high-performing program: $75,760 year one, $85,611 at four years, B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.376, median debt $28,500). At 335 graduates, this is a substantial pipeline into southeast Michigan healthcare.
Construction Management
Construction Management (31 graduates) earns $71,798 year one and $87,028 at four years - B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.400, median debt $28,750). Michigan's construction and infrastructure sector is active, and EMU's proximity to Metro Detroit creates placement opportunities. The four-year figure of $87k reflects advancement into project management roles. This is a strong outcome for a program that is often underrecognized as a career pathway.
Accounting
Accounting (76 graduates) earns $57,500 year one and $70,471 at four years - B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.431, median debt $24,771). Southeast Michigan's accounting and financial services sector provides solid placement for EMU accounting graduates. The four-year trajectory to $70,471 reflects CPA-track progression. Relative to the $15,407 net price, accounting outcomes are reasonable.
Psychology
Psychology (161 graduates) earns $30,490 year one and $48,346 at four years - D-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.932, median debt $28,403). Psychology is EMU's largest program by graduate volume with outcomes that reflect entry-level human services positions. The D-grade ROI and near-1.0 debt-to-earnings ratio indicate that terminal bachelor's psychology graduates carry debt that significantly exceeds early career earnings. Graduate clinical training adds cost and time beyond what the Scorecard captures.
English Language and Literature
English Language and Literature (13 graduates) earns $25,412 year one and $39,726 at four years - F-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 1.220, median debt $31,000). A debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.2 means graduates owe more than a year's salary in student loans. At a $15,407 net price with $31,000 median debt, something in the borrowing pattern suggests students are accumulating debt beyond what the net price alone would predict - possibly through living expenses or extended enrollment. English at EMU represents the worst-case ROI profile in this program mix.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 53.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 59.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 53.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Eastern Michigan 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 | 79.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-600 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-27 |
| Enrollment | 10,055 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 36.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,472 |
At 79.6%, EMU is moderately accessible. The ACT 18-27 range spans a wide academic spectrum. The institution does not impose meaningful selectivity. The primary risk is the 46% completion rate - more students who enroll do not graduate than do. Students and families should research EMU's retention and completion support services carefully before enrolling.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Michigan University (this school) | 42 | $15,407 | $51,793 |
| Ferris State University | 68 | $8,624 | $54,735 |
| Central Michigan University | 51 | $17,597 | $55,874 |
| Western Carolina University | 49 | $13,315 | $49,458 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | 39 | $11,040 | $45,795 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Eastern Michigan University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
EMU admits 79.6% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 440-570 Math and 480-600 Reading, ACT composite 18-27. Enrollment of 10,055 is mid-sized. Pell grant rate of 36.6% reflects significant financial need. EMU serves Washtenaw County and southeast Michigan, drawing many first-generation college students and working adults. The 46.4% completion rate reflects real barriers including financial stress, employment demands, and academic preparation challenges. Students who enter with a clear professional program intention - nursing, construction management, accounting - have a defined path. Students who enter undecided or into liberal arts face high risk of non-completion.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Eastern Michigan University scores 42/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $15,407 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $51,793 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12 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: its 46.4% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 59.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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.
Eastern Michigan University: Common Questions
Is Eastern Michigan University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Eastern Michigan University scores 42/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $15,407 a year after aid against $51,793 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Eastern Michigan 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 $15,407 a year, or roughly $61,628 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 Eastern Michigan University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $51,793 ten years after enrolling, roughly $9,993 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 Eastern Michigan 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 12 years for Eastern Michigan University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Eastern Michigan University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $35,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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 Eastern Michigan University?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.4%. 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.