Hastings College
Hastings, Nebraska · Private Nonprofit · 71.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Hastings College scores 37 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The institution is a Presbyterian-affiliated private liberal arts college in Hastings, Nebraska with 891 enrolled students and a net price of $24,452. The sub-score breakdown shows one strength - repayment rate of 78 (82.7% of borrowers reducing principal) - against four weaker sub-scores: earnings premium (32), payback period (39), debt-to-earnings (24), and completion rate (36). The completion rate of 48.9% - fewer than half of enrolled students graduating - is the dominant structural problem. Average 6-year earnings of $37,100 against a net price of $24,452 produces a 14.6-year payback period. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.728 at a sub-score of 24 indicates that debt is structurally high relative to earnings. The Scorecard reports only 5 programs with meaningful data: Business Administration (45 graduates, $47,525 year-one, C grade) is the largest; Teacher Education (25 graduates, C grade), Marketing (12 graduates, C+ grade), Kinesiology (18 graduates, no debt data), and Biology (8 graduates, C grade) round out the profile. The ACT range is 26-30.
How Hastings College 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 Score37/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Hastings College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $37,770/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $37,770/yr |
| Average net price | $24,452/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $97,808 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,303 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 891 |
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: $37,770/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,452/year, or roughly $97,808 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 $21,646/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,290/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 ($37,100) and comes to 0.73, 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 | $21,646 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,812 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,933 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,986 |
| $110,001+ | $27,290 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students in the 0-30000 income bracket pay $21,646 net price per year at Hastings - approximately $86,584 over four years. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $18,812 - actually lower, suggesting this income band captures a high-aid sweet spot. At $21,646-$18,812 per year, Hastings is moderately priced for a private nonprofit in Nebraska. For the 48.9% of students who do not complete, any price is too high. Students in these brackets who are seriously considering Hastings should investigate the institution's retention support programs.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $21,933 per year - nearly identical to the lowest bracket. The 75001-110000 bracket pays $24,986. Aid is relatively consistent through the middle-income range, which reflects Hastings' institutional aid strategy.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $27,290 per year - approximately $109,160 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Hastings College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $61,465 | C |
| Teacher Education | $40,406 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $48,238 | - |
| Marketing | $64,708 | C+ |
| Biology | $40,723 | C |
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 is the largest program at Hastings: 45 graduates, $47,525 year-one, $61,465 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.568 (ROI grade C). The C grade reflects moderate earnings against $27,000 median debt in a Nebraska regional market. Hastings is not well-positioned to recruit for large metropolitan business markets; graduates primarily access the Omaha-Lincoln corridor and smaller Nebraska employers. The year-one to four-year earnings trajectory ($47,525 to $61,465) is modest but functional for students committed to the region.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education has 25 graduates with $40,406 year-one. Four-year earnings are not reported. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.668 earns a C grade. Nebraska's teacher shortage provides consistent employment demand, and Hastings graduates access rural and small-city Nebraska school districts. The C grade reflects the structural constraints of teacher salaries rather than a program-specific failure. Students committed to teaching in Nebraska find a viable credential pathway at Hastings.
Marketing
Marketing has 12 graduates with $39,319 year-one and $64,708 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.496 (ROI grade C+). The four-year earnings trajectory is stronger than year-one, suggesting Marketing graduates at Hastings build salary over time. Median debt of $19,500 - below the institutional median - keeps the C+ grade achievable. The 12-graduate cohort is small, limiting statistical reliability.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Hastings College’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 | 71.7% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 26-30 |
| Enrollment | 891 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 27.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,146 |
At 71.7%, Hastings is accessible for students within the ACT 26-30 range. The ACT 25th percentile is 26. The 48.9% completion rate, while concerning, is partially attributable to the full range of students who enroll rather than reflecting a high-achiever-specific dropout problem. Students in the ACT 28-30 range who are motivated by Hastings' specific academic or community environment would likely complete at higher rates than the institutional average.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings College (this school) | 37 | $24,452 | $51,303 |
| Clarkson College | 71 | $19,241 | $64,876 |
| Bellevue University | 65 | $17,550 | $61,289 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Milligan University | 37 | $21,365 | $46,641 |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | 36 | $22,671 | $51,152 |
Who Thrives Here
Hastings College admits 71.7% of applicants and enrolls 891 students in Hastings, Nebraska. SAT ranges are not reported; ACT Composite ranges 26-30. The Pell grant rate of 27.4% indicates primarily middle-to-upper-income enrollment. Students drawn to small-college liberal arts in the Great Plains region, or with family connections to the Hastings community, are the most natural fit. The ACT profile suggests students with strong academic preparation are choosing Hastings for non-financial reasons; the outcome data indicates they are accepting below-market financial returns in exchange for those reasons.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Hastings College scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $24,452 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $51,303 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.6 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 it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 48.9% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 (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 $37,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73. 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.
Hastings College: Common Questions
Is Hastings College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Hastings College scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $24,452 a year after aid against $51,303 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Hastings College 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 $24,452 a year, or roughly $97,808 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 Hastings College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $51,303 ten years after enrolling, roughly $9,503 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 Hastings College?
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 14.6 years for Hastings College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Hastings College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $37,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73. 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 Hastings College?
The six-year graduation rate is 48.9%. 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.