Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois · Private Nonprofit · 85.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Eureka College, a small private liberal arts school in central Illinois (President Reagan's alma mater), scores 43 out of 100 (Below Benchmark). Net price is $17,349 against a $29,096 sticker - a meaningful 40% institutional discount. The 77.1% three-year repayment rate is strong, suggesting the borrowers who do leave with debt are managing it. The drag on the score is the 41.6% completion rate and a 0.7 debt-to-earnings ratio that pushes graduates close to the income-driven repayment threshold. Median federal debt is $23,250. With only 522 students, the financial sustainability of small Midwest private colleges is a real consideration, but Eureka's persistence-into-repayment numbers suggest its graduates are landing on their feet.
How Eureka 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 Score43/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Eureka College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $29,096/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,096/yr |
| Average net price | $17,349/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $69,396 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,641 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 522 |
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: $29,096/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,349/year, or roughly $69,396 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 $13,711/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,482/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 ($33,200) and comes to 0.70, 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 | $13,711 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,527 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,602 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,458 |
| $110,001+ | $23,482 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay $13,711 net price - the lowest tier and a meaningful Pell-eligible discount. With $51,641 in 10-year median earnings and $23,250 in median debt, the math is workable if the student finishes. The challenge is the 41.6% completion rate; low-income students need a clear academic plan and persistence support to convert this price advantage into a credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $14,527 and $48,001-$75,000 pays $14,602, both nearly identical. This is a competitive private price for middle-income families. The combination of small classes, modest debt, and reasonable career outcomes makes Eureka a defensible choice for middle-income Illinois families.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $21,458 and the $110,001+ bracket pays $23,482. At $23,482 the price is still below sticker. The aid model rewards lower incomes appropriately.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Eureka College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $57,983 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,845 | C |
| Teacher Education | $44,805 | C |
| Psychology | $51,353 | C+ |
| Accounting | $64,726 | - |
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
The largest program with 28 graduates earns a C grade. First-year earnings of $38,937 climb meaningfully to $57,983 by year four, against $26,000 median debt and a 0.668 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year earnings progression is the strongest signal here; students are landing into real career-track roles. Outcomes are competitive with regional Illinois publics on a similar net-price basis.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Twenty-two graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $37,886 climb to $52,845 by year four with $26,475 median debt and a 0.699 ratio. The career progression suggests Eureka graduates are landing into law enforcement and corrections leadership tracks rather than just entry-level patrol roles.
Teacher Education
Sixteen graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $43,609 are flat at $44,805 by year four, reflecting the predictable Illinois teacher salary schedule. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.619 ratio, which is workable. Public school teaching is structurally low-progression on earnings; the C grade is honest about that and the debt level makes it manageable through TEACH grants and forgiveness.
Psychology
Ten graduates earn the program's best grade (C+). Four-year earnings of $51,353 against $27,000 median debt produce a 0.526 ratio. Psychology terminal-bachelor's earnings nationally underperform; Eureka's graduates appear to land into HR, social services, and case-management roles at decent rates. Students planning graduate school in clinical psychology should still budget for substantial additional borrowing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 75.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Eureka College’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 | 85.0% |
| Enrollment | 522 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,632 |
Eureka admits 85% of applicants, making it broadly accessible. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with test-optional small private practice. The 41.6% completion rate is the relevant fit signal: students who arrive academically prepared can find small classes at this 522-student school, but persistence is uneven.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka College (this school) | 43 | $17,349 | $51,641 |
| Augustana College | 67 | $22,736 | $62,971 |
| Pillar College | 47 | $8,470 | $45,577 |
| College of Biblical Studies-Houston | 43 | $672 | $39,260 |
| Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion | 31 | $9,136 | $20,707 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 21 | $49,790 | $40,151 |
Who Thrives Here
Eureka enrolls 522 students with a 49% Pell rate. The fit is clearest for first-generation Illinois students looking for a small-college experience under $20,000 net annual cost, students recruited for athletics or pre-professional pipelines (education, business, criminal justice), or students who specifically value the historic small-college campus environment.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Eureka College scores 43/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,349 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $51,641 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12.6 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 41.6% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. 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.
Eureka College: Common Questions
Is Eureka College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Eureka College scores 43/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,349 a year after aid against $51,641 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Eureka 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 $17,349 a year, or roughly $69,396 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 Eureka College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $51,641 ten years after enrolling, roughly $9,841 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 Eureka 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 12.6 years for Eureka College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Eureka College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $33,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. 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 Eureka College?
The six-year graduation rate is 41.6%. 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.