Faith International University
Tacoma, Washington · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Faith International University is a small private Christian-mission institution in Tacoma, Washington, scoring 33 on the CampusROI scale - Below Benchmark tier. The cost picture is unusual: while sticker tuition is just $8,850, the average net price is $22,662 (more than double sticker), reflecting the inclusion of room, board, and other costs of attendance for a residential mission-focused program. Four-year total cost works out to roughly $90,648. Outcomes are mixed: 10-year median earnings of $51,006 produce a 17.7% earnings premium (sub-score 35) and a 14.4-year payback period (sub-score 39). Median debt of $17,650 is relatively low. The single most concerning input is completion - just 25%, producing a sub-score of 7. Repayment at 58.5% (sub-score 16) is also weak, with only 38.7% of borrowers reducing principal at seven years - a worrying trajectory. Debt-to-earnings is imputed because not enough graduates have reported debt data. The honest read: like many small religious institutions, Faith International's mission is theological education and ministry preparation, not labor-market ROI; the standard ROI frame partially misframes its purpose, but the 25% completion rate and weak repayment data are concerns regardless of mission.
How Faith International 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.
- 6-year graduation rate25.0% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
Faith International University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,850/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,850/yr |
| Average net price | $22,662/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $90,648 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,006 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,650 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $187 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 25.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 276 |
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: $8,850/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 $22,662/year, or roughly $90,648 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 $22,662/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,650, which works out to about $187 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 | $22,662 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $22,662 net annually - the only reported income bracket. Over four years that is roughly $91,000 of cost, which is steep for low-income families even with Pell aid and federal loans. Borrowing should be limited; the relatively low $17,650 median debt suggests many students rely on church-network funding or work-study to keep loan balances down.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Net price data for the $30,001-$110,000 income brackets is not reported, suggesting either too few students in those tiers to publish or aid policies that do not vary materially by income. Middle-income families considering Faith International should expect to pay close to the published $22,662 figure with limited additional aid.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for the $110,001-plus bracket is unreported, suggesting negligible enrollment from this tier. The school's mission and price point are fundamentally oriented toward Pell-eligible students with church-community support.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Faith International University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Religion/Religious Studies | $64,235 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $49,234 | - |
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.
Religion/Religious Studies
Religion/Religious Studies is one of Faith International's flagship programs. Graduates earn $42,103 at one year and $64,235 at four years against $17,813 of debt - a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade. With 25 graduates per year this is a meaningful cohort. The relatively strong four-year earnings figure suggests graduates either move into established ministry roles with tenure-based pay scales or progress to graduate work (M.Div., MA Theology) before settling into longer-term careers.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates earn $49,234 at four years (one-year and debt data are unreported, limiting analysis). With 24 graduates per year this is roughly the same size as the religion cohort.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 48.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 58.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 45.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 38.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Faith International University’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
| Enrollment | 276 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 46.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $3,292 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are likewise unreported. The 25% completion rate is the dominant data point and suggests substantial student attrition, which may reflect the school's role as a preparatory or supplemental theological institution where many students enroll without completing a full bachelor's degree.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faith International University (this school) | 33 | $22,662 | $51,006 |
| Gonzaga University | 81 | $35,119 | $78,892 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
| Dewey University-Hato Rey | 33 | $3,577 | $19,761 |
| Albizu University-Miami | 32 | $19,849 | $41,544 |
| Cornish College of the Arts | 17 | $40,062 | $33,696 |
Who Thrives Here
With just 276 students and a 46.9% Pell rate, Faith International serves a small, Pell-eligible Christian-mission population in the Pacific Northwest. The two reported programs are Religion/Religious Studies (25 graduates per year, $64,235 four-year earnings, B grade) and Business Administration (24 graduates, $49,234 four-year). The student fit is essentially mission-driven; students are attending for theological training rather than career preparation, and the financial outcomes should be interpreted with that context.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Faith International University scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,662 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $51,006 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.4 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 25.0% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 58.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Faith International University: Common Questions
Is Faith International University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Faith International University scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,662 a year after aid against $51,006 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Faith International 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 $22,662 a year, or roughly $90,648 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 Faith International University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $51,006 ten years after enrolling, roughly $9,206 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 Faith International 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 14.4 years for Faith International University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at Faith International University?
The six-year graduation rate is 25.0%. 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.