Ecclesia College
Springdale, Arkansas · Private Nonprofit · 73.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 26/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Ecclesia College in Springdale, Arkansas is a tiny faith-based work college (enrollment 108) that scores 26 in the Below Benchmark tier. The data is sparse - six-year average earnings, debt-to-earnings ratio, and early repayment rates are all unreported - which by itself reflects the school's small size and limited Scorecard tracking. What's reported is sobering: tuition lists at $16,850 with a $22,075 net price (above tuition because of room/board fees), $88,300 over four years, and only $40,650 in median earnings ten years out. The payback period is 40.4 years under our methodology. Completion is just 40% - six in ten students don't earn the degree. The 5-year repayment rate of 46% means more than half of borrowers had not paid down any principal five years out. The bright spot: median debt is unusually low at $13,019, meaning families pay much of the cost out of pocket rather than borrowing. Ecclesia is a Pentecostal/charismatic Christian work college with a heavy ministry focus - students who fit this very specific calling may find value, but the financial data is weak.
How Ecclesia 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 Score26/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period40.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Ecclesia College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,850/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,850/yr |
| Average net price | $22,075/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $88,300 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,650 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,019 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $138 |
| Estimated payback period | 40.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 40.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 108 |
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: $16,850/year, 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 $22,075/year, or roughly $88,300 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 $20,801/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,071/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $13,019, which works out to about $138 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. We do not have the six-year earnings figure needed to work out a debt-to-earnings ratio for this school.
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 | $20,801 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,663 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,393 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,248 |
| $110,001+ | $26,071 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $20,801 net per year - a steep $83K over four years for households with little discretionary income. Despite Pell stacking, the actual out-of-pocket is significant. Combined with the 40% completion rate, the modal outcome for low-income students is borrowed money and no credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Brackets are mostly flat with one inversion: $30,001-$48,000 pays $20,663, $48,001-$75,000 pays $20,393 (slightly less than the lower bracket), then $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $27,248. Then a small inversion: $110,001+ pays $26,071, less than the $75-110K bracket. These small inversions and the generally compressed bracket structure suggest small-sample noise. Middle-income families face $80K+ over four years for an unproven financial outcome.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $26,071, slightly less than the $75-110K bracket. At $104K over four years for a credential where median earnings ten years out is just $40,650, the math is genuinely poor on financial terms. High-income families considering Ecclesia are explicitly choosing the Pentecostal mission community, not financial value - which is a defensible choice but should be made with eyes open.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 46.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Ecclesia College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 73.8% |
| Enrollment | 108 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $1,331 |
Ecclesia admits 73.8% of applicants. SAT and ACT data are not reported, consistent with the school's de-emphasis on standardized testing in favor of a Christian-character admissions screen. The completion rate is 40%. Prospective students should ask hard questions about the day-to-day experience that drives the high attrition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecclesia College (this school) | 26 | $22,075 | $40,650 |
| Lyon College | 29 | $19,616 | $44,232 |
| Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Orlando | 28 | $16,577 | $47,540 |
| Saint Joseph Seminary College | 25 | $45,460 | $38,366 |
| Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa | 17 | $6,440 | $21,410 |
| Arkansas Baptist College | 4 | $10,627 | $28,418 |
Who Thrives Here
Ecclesia fits Pentecostal/charismatic Christian students specifically called to ministry, missions work, or Christian leadership roles where measurable financial ROI is not the primary goal. Enrollment is 108, and the 48.6% Pell rate points to a student body with substantial financial need. The work-college model means students perform institutional labor in lieu of part of tuition, which keeps median debt very low. Students who don't fit this very narrow ministry-formation profile should look elsewhere - the data does not support attendance for general academic or career purposes.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Ecclesia College scores 26/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,075 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,650 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 40.4 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 40.0% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Ecclesia College: Common Questions
Is Ecclesia College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Ecclesia College scores 26/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,075 a year after aid against $40,650 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 40.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Ecclesia 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 $22,075 a year, or roughly $88,300 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 Ecclesia College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,650 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Ecclesia 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 40.4 years for Ecclesia College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at Ecclesia College?
The six-year graduation rate is 40.0%. 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.