Franklin Pierce University
Rindge, New Hampshire · Private Nonprofit · 93.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Franklin Pierce University, a small private nonprofit in Rindge, New Hampshire, scores 39 out of 100 and lands in Below Benchmark tier. The picture is a familiar small-private one: tuition is $46,442, net price is $27,154, and 4-year cost reaches $108,616. Average 6-year earnings come in at $37,500 climbing to a median $53,353 at 10 years; payback period is 13.5 years; median debt is $27,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.72. The 53.5% completion rate is moderate and the 78.4% three-year repayment rate is healthy. The earnings premium subscore is 33, the school's clearest weakness. Franklin Pierce is a regional private that built around education, criminal justice, and health-sciences pipelines, and the data reflects that orientation. Nursing and healthcare-admin completers do well; communications and psychology completers do less well. With 992 students, the institution is small enough that retention and program quality vary noticeably by major, and prospective families should pick a major before committing.
How Franklin Pierce 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 Score39/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Franklin Pierce University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $46,442/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $46,442/yr |
| Average net price | $27,154/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $108,616 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,353 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 992 |
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: $46,442/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,154/year, or roughly $108,616 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 $19,364/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,860/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,500) and comes to 0.72, 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 | $19,364 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,557 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,473 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,943 |
| $110,001+ | $30,860 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $19,364 net. Pell-eligible families with $30K-$48K incomes pay $23,557, a noticeable step up that compresses the aid advantage. Over four years, low-income students face roughly $77,456 of cost, which is meaningful but Pell-plus-federal-loan can largely cover, particularly for students aiming at nursing where the earnings exit is strong.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $24,473 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $26,943. The aid curve flattens through middle income, with relatively small discounts per income bracket. For middle-income families choosing Franklin Pierce, the math depends on major choice: nursing pencils, general humanities does not.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $30,860 net, $15,582 below the $46,442 sticker. The pricing structure assumes that wealthier families self-fund roughly two-thirds of cost. Franklin Pierce's value case for high-income families is the residential small-college experience plus an applied pre-professional pipeline; for families that would borrow heavily through PLUS, the math becomes uncomfortable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Franklin Pierce University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $69,449 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $70,125 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $74,959 | C |
| Psychology | $48,547 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $77,705 | B |
| Marketing | $71,685 | C |
| Accounting | $67,628 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $26,899 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $75,243 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $57,556 | - |
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.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Allied Health is Franklin Pierce's largest program with 54 graduates, posting $32,808 in 1-year earnings and $69,449 at year four. The 0.823 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D grade, reflecting that year-one earnings cannot service $27,000 of debt comfortably. However, the 4-year trajectory is strong, suggesting that allied-health graduates progress into clinical and supervisory roles where wages scale meaningfully. Plan for graduate work or additional certification.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 32 students with $39,031 in 1-year earnings and $70,125 at year four. The 0.692 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C grade. Strong fit for students targeting state and federal law enforcement roles.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 29 students with $48,700 in 1-year earnings and $74,959 at year four. The 0.554 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C grade.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 22 students with $31,465 in 1-year earnings and $48,547 at year four. The 0.858 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D grade against $27,000 of debt. As at most schools, undergraduate-only psychology yields weak earnings, and the meaningful career payoff requires graduate or licensure work. Students should view this as a stepping-stone degree, not a terminal credential.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Franklin Pierce's standout ROI program: 15 graduates, $76,016 in 1-year earnings, $77,705 at year four, and a 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a B grade. The flat earnings curve from year one to year four is consistent with RN labor markets where starting pay is high but scaling requires specialty certification or BSN-to-MSN progression. Debt of $28,870 against $76K of starting pay is easily serviced.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 75.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Franklin Pierce 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 | 93.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 512-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 545-632 |
| Enrollment | 992 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 29.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,428 |
Franklin Pierce admits 93.5% of applicants, essentially open-access. SAT mid-ranges of 512-650 in math and 545-632 in reading suggest a moderately prepared applicant pool; ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The 53.5% completion rate against a 93.5% admit rate is the structural pattern of open-enrollment privates: getting in is easy, finishing is the test. Students who arrive prepared and choose pre-professional majors fare meaningfully better than students who drift into general humanities tracks.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Pierce University (this school) | 39 | $27,154 | $53,353 |
| Dartmouth College | 95 | $29,519 | $97,434 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| Colby-Sawyer College | 32 | $27,431 | $46,474 |
Who Thrives Here
With 992 students and a 29.3% Pell rate, the campus is small and modestly socioeconomically diverse. Strong fits are students targeting nursing, healthcare administration, or criminal justice with intent to enter law enforcement or corrections. Weaker fits are students drawn to communications, psychology, or general business; the data shows those programs underperform the school's cost stack.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Franklin Pierce University scores 39/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $27,154 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $53,353 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 13.5 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 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. 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.
Franklin Pierce University: Common Questions
Is Franklin Pierce University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Franklin Pierce University scores 39/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $27,154 a year after aid against $53,353 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 13.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Franklin Pierce 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 $27,154 a year, or roughly $108,616 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 Franklin Pierce University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $53,353 ten years after enrolling, roughly $11,553 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 Franklin Pierce 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 13.5 years for Franklin Pierce University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Franklin Pierce University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $37,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. 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 Franklin Pierce University?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.5%. 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.