Faulkner University
Montgomery, Alabama · Private Nonprofit · 73.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 19/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Faulkner University scores 19 (Below Benchmark) - a private Christian institution in Montgomery, Alabama with severe structural weaknesses in its ROI profile. The 37.4% completion rate means nearly two in three enrolled students do not graduate. The 27-year payback period reflects average 6-year earnings of $33,400 against a net price of $22,085 per year that produces almost no near-term return after debt repayment. The one-year repayment rate is 35.1%. Median debt of $23,000 against $33,400 average earnings leaves virtually no margin for normal living expenses while servicing loans. Criminal Justice is the strongest program by year-one earnings (88 graduates, $54,704 year-one, C+ grade). Business Administration (110 graduates, $44,785 year-one, C grade) is the volume leader. Kinesiology and Clinical Psychology both earn F grades with debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0. This is a difficult profile to defend at current pricing.
How Faulkner 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 Score19/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate37.4% - 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.
- Payback period27 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Faulkner University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $23,920/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $23,920/yr |
| Average net price | $22,085/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $88,340 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,457 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $244 |
| Estimated payback period | 27 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 37.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,549 |
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: $23,920/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $22,085/year, or roughly $88,340 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 $23,385/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,835/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,000, which works out to about $244 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,400) and comes to 0.69, 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 | $23,385 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,897 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,170 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,255 |
| $110,001+ | $22,835 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $23,385 per year at Faulkner - higher than several income tiers above it on the schedule. The aid structure is unusual: the 30001-48000 bracket pays $20,897 and the 48001-75000 bracket pays $19,170, meaning lower-income families pay more. This inverted schedule is a serious concern for a school with a 45.6% Pell rate. Low-income students at Faulkner face the worst financial outcomes in the worst-priced tier.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $19,170 - the lowest on the schedule, reflecting the unusual inverted structure. The 75001-110000 bracket rises to $21,255. The 27-year payback period makes even the $48k-$75k band financially challenging at Faulkner.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $22,835 per year - roughly $91,340 over four years. Against $33,400 average earnings, this is a very high investment for modest returns. Only criminal justice completers have near-term earnings ($54,704) that suggest a serviceable return on full-price investment.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Faulkner University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $61,286 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,384 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $52,092 | D |
| Human Resources Management | $48,056 | D |
| Clinical Psychology | $39,459 | F |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $48,561 | 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.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice is Faulkner's top-performing program: 88 graduates, $54,704 year-one, $60,384 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.516 (C+ grade) on median debt of $28,250. Year-one earnings are well above the school median and reflect Alabama law enforcement and federal agency placements that pay meaningfully more than typical entry-level jobs in this labor market. The C+ grade is the best available here and represents a genuine value for criminal justice-focused students.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration (110 graduates) earns a C grade: $44,785 year-one, $61,286 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.618 on median debt of $27,660. Year-one earnings are modestly above the school median. The four-year arc to $61k reflects career advancement in small business management and mid-level corporate roles in the Montgomery market. The C grade reflects adequate but not compelling near-term financial outcomes.
Human Resources Management
HR Management (54 graduates) earns a D grade: $40,764 year-one, $48,056 year-four, debt-to-earnings 0.813 on median debt of $33,124. The high debt figure relative to year-one earnings is notable. HR roles in the Alabama market have ceiling constraints that make the private school debt load difficult to service efficiently in early career years.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (17 graduates) earns an F grade: $25,710 year-one, $48,561 year-four, debt-to-earnings 1.348 on median debt of $34,658. Students are borrowing more than a full year and a third of their year-one wages. The year-four recovery to $48k reflects fitness, athletic training, and physical therapy assistant roles, but the near-term debt burden is severe. This program outcome does not justify private school pricing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 35.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 42.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 39.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 48.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Faulkner 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 | 73.1% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-21 |
| Enrollment | 1,549 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 45.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,049 |
Faulkner's 73.1% admission rate and ACT 18-21 range indicate open access with a moderately prepared student body. Admission is not the challenge. Completing the degree is. Students should ask directly about retention rates by major and what happens to students who struggle academically or financially.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The completion rate at 37.4% is the defining constraint; virtually no institutional characteristic can overcome a situation where most enrolled students don't graduate.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faulkner University (this school) | 19 | $22,085 | $43,457 |
| Heritage Christian University | 37 | $15,426 | $42,597 |
| Huntingdon College | 29 | $22,566 | $49,601 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | 23 | $15,070 | $41,129 |
| Missouri Valley College | 16 | $18,086 | $43,221 |
Who Thrives Here
Faulkner admits 73.1% of applicants with ACT 18-21 composite range (SAT not reported). Enrollment is 1,549 students in Montgomery. The Church of Christ affiliation shapes campus culture. Pell rate of 45.6% reflects significant low-income student representation. The 37.4% completion rate is the most important number at this institution - students who enroll should investigate the academic support and retention infrastructure aggressively before committing.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Faulkner University scores 19/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,085 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,457 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 27 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 37.4% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 42.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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.
Faulkner University: Common Questions
Is Faulkner University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Faulkner University scores 19/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,085 a year after aid against $43,457 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 27 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Faulkner 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 $22,085 a year, or roughly $88,340 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 Faulkner University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,457 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,657 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 Faulkner 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 27 years for Faulkner University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Faulkner University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,000, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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 Faulkner University?
The six-year graduation rate is 37.4%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.