Emory & Henry University
Emory, Virginia · Private Nonprofit · 83.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Emory & Henry University scores 33 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale, the result of a 17.5-year payback period, $31,800 average 6-year earnings, a 56.3% completion rate, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.828. The fundamental problem is not cost - it is that median earnings are low and nearly half the entering class does not graduate. The Scorecard reports only three programs with earnings data: Business Administration (31 graduates, $35,349 year-one, $71,531 four-year, ROI grade D), Kinesiology (46 graduates, $28,146 year-one, $45,877 four-year, ROI grade D), and Psychology (12 graduates, $25,390 year-one, $42,940 four-year, ROI grade F, debt-to-earnings 1.063). The repayment rate of 74.4% is mediocre - more than a quarter of borrowers are not making progress on their debt three years after entering repayment. The 0.828 debt-to-earnings ratio and 17.5-year payback period are not outliers caused by a few bad programs; they reflect institution-wide outcomes that potential students should take seriously.
How Emory & Henry 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Emory & Henry University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,000/yr |
| Average net price | $19,061/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $76,244 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,385 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,332 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $279 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 56.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,078 |
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: $39,000/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,061/year, or roughly $76,244 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 $14,246/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,418/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,332, which works out to about $279 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,800) and comes to 0.83, 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 | $14,246 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,430 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,622 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,029 |
| $110,001+ | $23,418 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students in the 0-30000 income bracket pay $14,246 net price per year at Emory & Henry - approximately $57,000 over four years. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $14,430, nearly identical. These are meaningful dollar amounts for low-income families, and the 56.3% completion rate means there is real risk of incurring debt without receiving the credential. The repayment rate of 74.4% suggests that a significant minority of borrowers across income groups are struggling to service their debt.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $17,622 per year; the 75001-110000 bracket pays $19,029. These figures are not far from the net price available to the lowest income bands, reflecting a relatively compressed aid schedule.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $23,418 per year - roughly $93,672 four-year all-in. For families paying full freight, the 17.5-year payback period and $31,800 average 6-year earnings present a difficult financial case. Only business completers who reach the $71,531 four-year earnings mark approach a reasonable return on this investment, and that requires both graduation and strong job placement - outcomes that the institutional data does not support for the average enrollee.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Emory & Henry University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,877 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $71,531 | D |
| Psychology | $42,940 | F |
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 Administration is the strongest-performing and highest-volume program in Emory & Henry's Scorecard data: 31 graduates, $35,349 year-one, $71,531 at four years, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.757 (ROI grade D). The four-year figure of $71k is the best outcome at the institution and suggests business completers eventually access regional management roles. However, the D-grade debt-to-earnings ratio and the $26,750 median debt make this a financially strained outcome relative to the credential cost.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the highest-volume program at Emory & Henry with 46 graduates. Year-one earnings of $28,146 and four-year of $45,877 produce a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.959 (ROI grade D) against $27,000 median debt. This is a poor financial outcome: graduates carry debt approaching their annual salary and will spend a decade or more in repayment before achieving a positive net return from the degree. Students drawn to sports management, fitness, or physical therapy pathways should evaluate whether this credential opens the right doors for their specific career target.
Psychology
Psychology earns an F-grade ROI at Emory & Henry: 12 graduates, $25,390 year-one, $42,940 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.063. A ratio above 1.0 means the median borrower owes more in student loans than they earn in a year - a deeply unfavorable financial position. The Scorecard reports $27,000 median debt against $25,390 year-one earnings. Students considering psychology at Emory & Henry should have a clear post-graduation plan that either minimizes borrowing, leverages income-based repayment, or targets graduate school programs with funding.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 76.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Emory & Henry 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 | 83.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 503-583 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 548-640 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-26 |
| Enrollment | 1,078 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,819 |
At 83.7%, Emory & Henry is broadly accessible. SAT mid-ranges (503-583 Math, 548-640 Reading) and ACT composite 20-26 reflect a moderately prepared applicant pool. The low selectivity means that the 56.3% completion rate is not a sorting artifact - the institution is not filtering out underprepared students and graduating only those who were likely to succeed regardless. The completion gap is real and worth investigating at the program level before enrollment.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emory & Henry University (this school) | 33 | $19,061 | $47,385 |
| Averett University | 37 | $22,925 | $51,516 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| Mount Aloysius College | 34 | $22,344 | $46,165 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| Bluefield University | 32 | $25,573 | $48,896 |
Who Thrives Here
Emory & Henry admits 83.7% of applicants and enrolls 1,078 students in rural Emory, Virginia. SAT mid-ranges are 503-583 Math and 548-640 Reading; ACT composite 20-26. The Pell grant rate of 38.5% indicates that a large share of the student body comes from lower-income households - a population that faces the steepest consequences from the institution's poor completion and earnings outcomes. Students drawn to the Appalachian region, outdoor leadership, or the Methodist liberal arts tradition may find the campus culture a fit, but the financial risk profile here is genuinely concerning and warrants careful consideration of the debt-to-earnings implications.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Emory & Henry University scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $19,061 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $47,385 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.5 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, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,332 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83. 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.
Emory & Henry University: Common Questions
Is Emory & Henry University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Emory & Henry University scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $19,061 a year after aid against $47,385 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Emory & Henry 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 $19,061 a year, or roughly $76,244 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 Emory & Henry University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $47,385 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,585 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 Emory & Henry 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 Emory & Henry University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Emory & Henry University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,332, against average earnings of $31,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83. 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 Emory & Henry University?
The six-year graduation rate is 56.3%. 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.