Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois · Private Nonprofit · 97.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 29/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois scores ROI 29 (Below Benchmark) - a small Free Methodist Christian liberal arts school with 955 undergraduates in rural southwestern Illinois. Average 6-year earnings land at $33,200, rising to a median $46,827 at 10 years. The completion rate of 39.8% means fewer than four in ten enrolled students graduate. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.719 and payback period of 18.4 years are both Below Benchmark territory. The school admits 97.5% of applicants with an enormous ACT spread (16-28), indicating it functions as an open-enrollment institution for its faith community. Business Administration (29 graduates, C+ ROI grade) is the strongest earnings program. Teacher Education (42 graduates, C ROI grade) is the largest program. Greenville's rural location - about an hour east of St. Louis - limits local employer access for most graduates.
How Greenville 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 Score29/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate39.8% - 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 period18.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Greenville University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,200/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,200/yr |
| Average net price | $19,533/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $78,132 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,827 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,875 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $253 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 955 |
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: $32,200/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,533/year, or roughly $78,132 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 $19,181/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,903/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,875, which works out to about $253 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,200) 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 | $19,181 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,313 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,988 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,650 |
| $110,001+ | $24,903 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $19,181 per year - above the $19,533 average, a counterintuitive result for the lowest income bracket. Over four years that is roughly $76,724. Against $33,200 average 6-year earnings and a 39.8% completion rate, low-income students face the worst risk scenario: private-school costs, poor completion odds, and modest expected earnings even for graduates.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $15,313 - significantly less than the lowest bracket. The 48,001-75,000 bracket drops further to $13,988, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket climbs to $20,650. The unusual shape - middle brackets paying less than the lowest - likely reflects how institutional grant aid is structured. The $13,988 net price at $48-75k income is the most affordable tier.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $24,903 per year. Over four years that is roughly $99,612. Against 10-year median earnings of $46,827, high-income families see a very poor lifetime ROI here. Greenville is a values choice for this income group, not a financial choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Greenville University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $42,180 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,241 | C+ |
| Human Resources Management | $55,263 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 29 graduates per year and is Greenville's highest-earning program. The 4-year median earnings of $59,241 (1-year not reported) and 0.477 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C+) with $28,250 median debt are the school's best financial signals. Graduates who move to St. Louis's business market will access larger employer networks than the rural Greenville economy offers. The program is small enough that individual mentorship is realistic.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is the school's largest program at 42 graduates per year. Median 1-year earnings of $36,911 and 4-year earnings of $42,180 reflect Illinois teacher salaries in rural districts. The 0.599 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C) with $22,103 median debt is manageable for committed Illinois teachers. Greenville's location in Bond County provides direct access to regional school districts with ongoing demand. The key risk: Illinois teacher licensing and evaluation requirements mean students need to pass state exams that are not guaranteed by the 97.5% admission rate.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 76.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Greenville 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 | 97.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 365-615 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 406-615 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-28 |
| Enrollment | 955 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,650 |
Greenville admits 97.5% of applicants - effectively open-enrollment. ACT 16-28, SAT Math 365-615, SAT Reading 406-615. The extreme ranges (SAT Math floor of 365, ACT floor of 16) confirm that virtually anyone who aligns with the school's faith community and applies is admitted. Academic preparation varies enormously in the admitted class, which likely contributes to the 39.8% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The school's financial profile is Below Benchmark by the data; its cultural value for Free Methodist community members is not captured by the Scorecard metrics.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville University (this school) | 29 | $19,533 | $46,827 |
| Augustana College | 67 | $22,736 | $62,971 |
| Hilbert College | 32 | $22,723 | $48,309 |
| Rochester University | 29 | $21,456 | $48,707 |
| Southern Virginia University | 26 | $22,213 | $50,002 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 21 | $49,790 | $40,151 |
Who Thrives Here
Greenville fits strongly Free Methodist or broadly evangelical Christian students who want a small, mission-driven community college with teaching or ministry pathways. The ACT 16-28 range spans nearly the full national spectrum, confirming that admission is driven by faith alignment rather than academic preparation. With 38.9% Pell recipients, this is a school with significant financial access challenges. The 39.8% completion rate is a severe warning: students who enroll face real barriers to finishing. Students who thrive tend to be deeply community-invested in the Free Methodist tradition and have specific vocational goals (teaching, ministry, music) that align with Greenville's strengths.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Greenville University scores 29/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $19,533 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,827 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.4 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 39.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,875 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,200 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.
Greenville University: Common Questions
Is Greenville University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Greenville University scores 29/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $19,533 a year after aid against $46,827 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Greenville 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 $19,533 a year, or roughly $78,132 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 Greenville University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,827 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,027 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 Greenville 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 18.4 years for Greenville University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Greenville University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,875, against average earnings of $33,200 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 Greenville University?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.8%. 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.