Grace Christian University
Wyoming, Michigan · Private Nonprofit · 99.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 24/100 · Poor Value
Grace Christian University, a small Bible-focused private-nonprofit in Wyoming, Michigan, scores 24 -- Poor Value tier. The financial diagnostics are difficult: median earnings six years after entry are $27,500 (one of the lowest in this batch), climbing only to $41,663 at ten years. Median debt of $24,375 against those earnings produces an 0.886 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 28.5-year payback period. Sticker tuition is moderate at $18,690, with net price $12,404 and four-year total cost just under $50,000 -- much lower than typical small privates. But the low earnings ceiling cancels the modest cost advantage. Completion is 51% and repayment is 71% at three years -- both middling. Pell rate is 46.9%, indicating a substantial need-based student body. With 716 students and a program lineup dominated by ministry, religious education, biblical studies, and human services, this is a vocational-Bible-college mission with the expected modest earnings profile. The ROI math only works for students whose calling is ministry rather than financial return.
The data raises concerns about Grace Christian University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score24/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period28.5 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Grace Christian University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,690/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,690/yr |
| Average net price | $12,404/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $49,616 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $41,663 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,375 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $258 |
| Estimated payback period | 28.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 716 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Grace Christian University is $18,690/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $12,404/year, or roughly $49,616 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $9,538/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,834/year.
The median graduate leaves with $24,375 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $258 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $41,663 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.89 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $9,538 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,935 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,037 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,379 |
| $110,001+ | $20,834 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $9,538 net -- well below the average. Four-year cost is around $38,200, against $41,663 in 10-year median earnings. The math is tight but workable for low-income families committed to ministry careers, especially with eligible PSLF pathways for nonprofit ministry employment.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $10,037 net -- actually slightly less than the $30,001-$48,000 bracket's $10,935. A mild aid-cliff inversion likely from sample variance. Four-year cost is roughly $40,100, still below the 10-year earnings ceiling.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110,000 pay $20,834 -- a steep jump from the $75,001-$110,000 bracket's $12,379. This is the inversion-adjacent anomaly worth flagging: net price more than doubles between the $75-110K and $110K+ brackets, suggesting institutional aid evaporates abruptly at the top. Four-year cost above $83,000 makes the financial case difficult.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Grace Christian University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $45,288 | D |
| Human Services, General | $47,559 | F |
| Religious Education | $52,314 | D |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $30,263 | D |
| Music | $33,256 | - |
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.
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
Pastoral Counseling is the largest program at 34 graduates. Earnings of $48,916 in year one drop to $45,288 by year four -- an unusual downward curve likely reflecting small sample variance. Median debt of $38,453 is the highest in the school and produces a 0.786 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). High debt for a ministry-track credential is a real concern; students should weigh PSLF eligibility for ministry employment.
Human Services, General
Human Services produces 24 graduates earning $35,205 in year one and $47,559 by year four against $36,149 debt -- a 1.027 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. Debt exceeds first-year earnings, which is a textbook overborrowing warning. Faith-based social-service jobs pay modestly; the debt load is the issue, not the earnings.
Religious Education
Religious Education produces 11 graduates with $33,308 first-year earnings rising to $52,314 by year four against $30,750 debt (0.923 ratio, D grade). Solid four-year earnings growth signals graduates moving into church/school administration roles; the year-one debt-to-earnings math is difficult.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies graduates 4 students -- a small cohort -- earning $30,263 in year one against $27,000 debt (0.892 ratio, D grade). This is a feeder to seminary or ministry employment; bachelor's-only outcomes are weak. Most graduates need to continue to seminary or capture church-employer benefits to make the financial math work.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 63.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 99.2% |
| Enrollment | 716 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 46.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,647 |
Grace Christian admits 99.2% of applicants -- functionally open admission. SAT and ACT scores are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with a test-optional or test-not-required admissions process. The 51% completion rate is moderate -- not great given the small-college mentorship advantage, but typical for a high-Pell, ministry-focused institution. Selectivity is essentially a non-factor; fit and finish-rate are the key questions.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Grace's peer set mixes Adrian and Albion (both larger Michigan Methodist liberal-arts colleges with substantially stronger ROI), Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary (a yeshiva -- not a real comparator), Drury's online adult-continuing-studies arm, and Culver-Stockton (small MO Disciples of Christ college). The closest mission peer is Culver-Stockton; Grace tends to track below both Adrian and Albion on completion and earnings because of its narrow Bible-college program mix.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Christian University (this school) | 24 | $12,404 | $41,663 |
| Albion College | 65 | $14,301 | $58,799 |
| Adrian College | 39 | $25,368 | $55,504 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 25 | $4,543 | $17,360 |
| Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | 24 | $10,566 | $40,694 |
| Culver-Stockton College | 22 | $21,983 | $46,092 |
Who Thrives Here
Grace fits students called to ministry, pastoral counseling, religious education, music ministry, and faith-based human services. Pell rate of 46.9% indicates a substantial need-based cohort; enrollment of 716 supports a small-college environment. This is not an institution to choose for earnings -- it is a vocational training ground for church and parachurch careers where personal calling outweighs financial return. Strong fit only for students committed to ministry-track careers; everyone else faces a difficult earnings/debt math.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Grace Christian University. With a net cost of $12,404 per year and median graduate earnings of only $41,663 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 28.5 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 51.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,375 against $41,663 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.