Emmanuel University
Franklin Springs, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 74.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 12/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Emmanuel University earns a Poor Value tier with an overall ROI score of just 12 out of 100, with red-flag sub-scores across the board. This small Georgia Christian college presents one of the weakest ROI profiles in our database. Tuition is $25,500 per year and the average net price is $20,925, putting the four-year cost at $83,700. Median earnings 10 years after entry are just $38,208 - only a 3.8% premium over the average high school graduate, an exceptionally weak figure. The payback period is calculated at 69.7 years, which effectively means the typical Emmanuel graduate barely recoups their investment within a working lifetime. Median debt is $24,325 and the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.911 - graduates owe nearly a full year of earnings in debt. The completion rate is 42.3% (sub-score 25), meaning more than half of students do not finish. Three-year repayment is just 56.6% (sub-score 14), well below national averages. Emmanuel's identity is mission-driven (Pentecostal Christian liberal arts), which matters to its core constituency, but on the financial data this is a school where the math is genuinely difficult to make work.
The data raises concerns about Emmanuel University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score12/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers - the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Emmanuel University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $25,500/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,500/yr |
| Average net price | $20,925/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $83,700 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,208 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,325 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $258 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 42.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 775 |
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: $25,500/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,925/year, or roughly $83,700 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 $17,735/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,674/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $24,325 in federal loans, which works out to about $258 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $38,208 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.91, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $17,735 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,687 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,817 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,592 |
| $110,001+ | $24,674 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $17,735 per year, and curiously the $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays slightly less ($17,687) - a mild inversion. Over four years that's roughly $71,000. For low-income families this is a substantial investment with weak completion odds (42.3%) and weak earnings outcomes. The math is hard to defend on financial grounds.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $19,817 per year, and $75,001-$110,000 pays $20,592. Over four years that's $79,000-$82,000. Combined with a 69.7-year payback period and weak earnings outcomes, middle-income families face a tough value proposition that makes most Georgia publics (UGA, Georgia Southern, Kennesaw) clearly stronger choices.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning above $110,000 pay $24,674 per year, or roughly $99,000 over four years. At this near-sticker price point and with the school's weak earnings outcomes, Emmanuel makes essentially no financial sense for higher-income families; the appeal would have to be entirely about religious community and mission.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Emmanuel University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $43,435 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $38,056 | 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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is Emmanuel's largest reportable program with 31 graduates per year. Median earnings of $30,093 first year and $43,435 by year four against $26,000 of debt produce a 0.864 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The earnings figure is well below national norms for business graduates and reflects both the small school's lack of corporate recruiting pipelines and the rural northeast Georgia labor market. A business degree from Emmanuel does not produce competitive outcomes.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 20 students per year with a D ROI grade. First-year earnings are not reported, which itself signals weak placement. Four-year earnings of $38,056 against $26,670 of debt produce a 0.701 debt-to-earnings ratio. Kinesiology bachelor's credentials typically lead to graduate school for physical therapy, athletic training, or related licensures; without those graduate steps, earnings stagnate. Combined with Emmanuel's price point, this is not a financially defensible path.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 47.6% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 56.6% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 52.3% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Emmanuel University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 74.0% |
| Enrollment | 775 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,038 |
Emmanuel admits 74% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with a small private religious college that often makes testing optional. The 42.3% completion rate is the more concerning data point - substantial student attrition signals either academic preparation gaps, financial pressure forcing students out, or fit issues. Prospective students and families should treat this completion figure as a serious flag.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Emmanuel's named peers include Agnes Scott College (a much stronger women's liberal arts in Decatur, GA), Clark Atlanta University (an HBCU with substantial scale), Philander Smith University, Warren Wilson College, and St. Andrews University. Among these, Agnes Scott significantly outperforms Emmanuel on every metric due to its endowment, brand, and academic strength. The other peers are smaller faith-based or specialty colleges with broadly similar challenges. Emmanuel's 12 ROI score sits at or near the bottom of this peer band.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel University (this school) | 12 | $20,925 | $38,208 |
| Trinity Bible College and Graduate School | 18 | $19,359 | $35,604 |
| Toccoa Falls College | 16 | $21,642 | $36,630 |
| Southwestern Christian University | 14 | $20,146 | $40,391 |
| Arlington Baptist University | 14 | $24,906 | $44,644 |
| Great Lakes Christian College | 12 | $15,524 | $31,053 |
Who Thrives Here
Emmanuel fits a narrow constituency: students from Pentecostal Christian backgrounds drawn to the school's mission, willing to accept weak financial outcomes for cultural and religious fit. Enrollment is just 775 students, the Pell rate is 28.7%, and the rural Franklin Springs, GA location is intimate but limits employer access. With only Kinesiology and Business as identified programs in the Scorecard data, students drawn to other fields would be enrolling in programs too small to generate published outcome data - itself a flag. This is fundamentally a religious-fit school, not a value choice.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Emmanuel University are a real concern. With a net cost of $20,925 per year and the typical graduate earning only $38,208 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 42.3% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,325 against $38,208 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.