Georgian Court University
Lakewood, New Jersey · Private Nonprofit · 78.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 47/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Georgian Court University, a small Catholic institution in Lakewood, NJ, posts an ROI score of 47 - Below Average Value tier. The numbers behind it tell a familiar small-private story with one outsized bright spot. Median 10-year earnings of $53,096 are modest, modeled payback runs 12 years, debt-to-earnings sits at 0.61 against median debt of $21,816, completion is 53.6%, and the 5-year repayment rate of 62.1% is below national norms. Net price of $19,285 (versus $37,260 sticker) is moderate, and Pell rate of 33.2% reflects substantial socioeconomic diversity in the New Jersey shore region. The dominant story is nursing - 124 graduates per year (the largest cohort by far) earning $85,963 first-year and $96,213 four years out, with a B+ ROI grade. Without nursing, the school's ROI metrics would look substantially worse. The accounting program also clears a B grade. Outside of those two, most majors land at C or D ROI grades with debt-to-earnings ratios above 0.6. Georgian Court is best understood as a strong nursing school packaged inside a struggling general college; prospective students should weigh that decomposition carefully and avoid the school for non-nursing-non-accounting tracks unless the Catholic small-college environment is central to the choice.
Georgian Court University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $37,260/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $37,260/yr |
| Average net price | $19,285/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $77,140 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,096 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,816 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $231 |
| Estimated payback period | 12 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,195 |
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: $37,260/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,285/year, or roughly $77,140 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 $12,683/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,708/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $21,816 in federal loans, which works out to about $231 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $53,096 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.61, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $12,683 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,347 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,084 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,407 |
| $110,001+ | $26,708 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,683 net annually - meaningful aid versus the $37,260 sticker. Pell, NJ TAG, and institutional aid combine to a real subsidy; four-year cost runs about $51,000. For a Pell-eligible nursing student who completes, the math pencils strongly. For non-nursing majors, even at this income tier the four-year total relative to median earnings makes the value case difficult.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $13,347 - close to the lowest-income tier and reflecting effective Pell + TAG stacking. The $48,001-$75,000 group pays $15,084. Note the schedule has an inversion at the top: the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $27,407 - MORE than the $110,001-plus bracket at $26,708. This is unusual and likely reflects merit-aid concentration patterns or sample-size noise. Middle-income four-year totals run $53,000-$110,000 depending on bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $26,708 - about 72% of sticker, indicating modest institutional discounting at the top. Four years runs roughly $107,000. With median 10-year earnings of $53,096, the lifetime ROI math is weak unless the student is in nursing or accounting. High-income families should compare against Rutgers, TCNJ, or Monmouth seriously.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Georgian Court University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $96,213 | B+ |
| Psychology | $54,745 | C |
| Social Work | $48,365 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,271 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $54,277 | C+ |
| English Language and Literature | $56,715 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,472 | C+ |
| History | $46,894 | - |
| Biology | $67,267 | C |
| Accounting | $67,716 | B |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Georgian Court's flagship and dominates the school's ROI picture. With 124 graduates per year (the largest cohort by far), $85,963 first-year and $96,213 four-year median earnings - nearly six-figure outcomes - and median debt of $24,750, nursing posts a 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. New Jersey nursing wages plus Georgian Court's Jersey Shore hospital placements (RWJBarnabas, Hackensack Meridian) make this a strong value proposition. This is one of the better small-private nursing ROI cases in the mid-Atlantic.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 8 students per year with $53,852 first-year and $67,716 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $23,500 yields a 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade - the second-best on campus. The CPA pathway adds career durability. Small cohort, but the math works for prospective accounting majors.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 47 students per year (the second-largest cohort) with $36,117 first-year and $54,745 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $22,375 produces a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. The four-year recovery is decent (suggesting many graduates pursue master's), but bachelor's-only outcomes here struggle to service typical Georgian Court debt loads. Prospective psychology students should commit to graduate study as part of the plan.
Social Work
Social work graduates 23 students per year with $38,530 first-year and $48,365 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $23,000 yields a 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. The career trajectory really requires MSW completion and LCSW licensure to convert into competitive earnings. Bachelor's-only social work at small private cost is a difficult value case.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 18 students per year and posts a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $35,963 are particularly weak, though four-year earnings recover to $62,271. Median debt of $26,000 yields a 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio. Small cohort, weak first-year pay, and high debt make this a hard sell. Prospective business students should look at Stockton University, Rowan, or Monmouth for stronger ROI.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.6% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Georgian Court University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 78.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,195 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,457 |
Georgian Court admits 78.8% of applicants - accessible. SAT and ACT score ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, suggesting test-optional admissions. The 53.6% completion rate suggests admissions is taking academic risks, and prospective students should self-assess preparation honestly. The nursing program likely runs higher selectivity in practice through GPA and prerequisite gating, even if institutional admissions is broad.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Georgian Court's named peers are Caldwell University, Centenary University, Northwestern College, Nichols College, and Wartburg College. The peer set is small Catholic and faith-affiliated privates with similar enrollment scale. Caldwell (also NJ Catholic) is the closest analog and posts comparable ROI. Centenary and Wartburg run closer to general liberal-arts profiles with weaker nursing pipelines. Within the cohort, Georgian Court stands out specifically because of nursing - it's a stronger nursing pipeline than most peers, but a weaker general college.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgian Court University (this school) | 47 | $19,285 | $53,096 |
| Centenary University | 53 | $20,503 | $53,726 |
| Wartburg College | 47 | $32,908 | $56,201 |
| Northwestern College | 45 | $25,907 | $49,802 |
| Nichols College | 45 | $33,036 | $58,063 |
| Caldwell University | 40 | $24,691 | $53,843 |
Who Thrives Here
Georgian Court fits a New Jersey shore student - often first-generation, often Pell-eligible (33.2% Pell), often commuting - looking for a small Catholic campus with a clear professional pathway. Enrollment of 1,195 keeps classes small. Strong fits are nursing and accounting students who can complete on schedule. Weaker fits are humanities, business, and general-studies majors who would face the school's worst ROI subgroups. New Jersey alternatives like Stockton University or Monmouth University deserve serious comparison for non-nursing tracks.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Georgian Court University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $19,285 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $53,096 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 12 years to earn the cost back - slower than most four-year schools. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: concerning loan repayment rates.
Median debt of $21,816 against $53,096 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.