Herzing University-Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 93.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 11/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Herzing University-Atlanta scores 11 (Poor Value) on the CampusROI scale - one of the lowest scores in this dataset. The institution's 14.0% completion rate is catastrophically low: fewer than 1 in 7 enrollees finishes a degree. The payback period is 118.8 years, rendering it functionally infinite. The repayment rate of 45.2% means more than half of borrowers who leave the institution are not paying down their debt. Against $30,100 median 6-year earnings and a $21,679 net price per year ($86,716 total), this is not a defensible investment by conventional financial metrics. Individual programs tell a more complicated story: Registered Nursing (8 graduates, $75,774 year-one) and Criminal Justice (2 graduates, $67,229 year-one) have decent program-level earnings, but graduate volume is minimal. Business Administration has 12 graduates earning $52,469 year-one but carries $46,792 median debt, an 0.892 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade D). The institution-wide data reflects the financial reality for the vast majority of students who enroll - most of whom do not complete a degree.
The data raises concerns about Herzing University-Atlanta
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score11/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate14.0% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers - the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Herzing University-Atlanta
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,450/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,450/yr |
| Average net price | $21,679/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $86,716 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,909 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 14.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 387 |
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: $13,450/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 $21,679/year, or roughly $86,716 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 $21,612/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $21,500 in federal loans, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $36,909 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.71, 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 | $21,612 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,285 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $21,612 per year at Herzing Atlanta - a net price that exceeds what many four-year public universities charge this bracket. Against a 14% completion rate, the expected value of enrollment for a low-income student is deeply negative. The financial risk for this group is especially acute: borrowing $21,000+ in debt for a program most students do not finish, in a labor market that does not reward non-completers well.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 and 75001-110000 income brackets have no net price data available. This data gap alone warrants caution. Middle-income families should request a specific financial aid award letter and model total debt exposure before making any enrollment decision.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
No net price data is available for the $110,000+ bracket. At or near sticker price, Herzing Atlanta's financials are entirely unjustifiable for students in higher-income brackets who have access to selective, well-resourced alternatives.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Herzing University-Atlanta with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,379 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $51,098 | F |
| Registered Nursing | $91,010 | C |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration | $70,624 | D |
| Legal Support Services | $33,315 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $69,601 | B |
| Computer Programming | $78,404 | C |
| Accounting | $54,345 | - |
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
Registered Nursing has 8 graduates earning $75,774 at year one and $91,010 at year four, with $43,985 median debt and a 0.580 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C). Earnings are solid for nursing graduates, but the debt load of $43,985 is significantly higher than what nursing graduates carry at public universities. The C-grade reflects the high debt burden - not poor earnings. Students pursuing nursing at Herzing should compare the cost and debt exposure against public nursing programs in Georgia where debt would be substantially lower.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration has 12 graduates earning $52,469 at year one and $66,379 at year four against $46,792 median debt and a 0.892 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade D). Debt nearly equals annual earnings - a poor outcome. Georgia's public university system offers comparable or better business education at a fraction of the debt burden. The D-grade is a direct reflection of the misalignment between Herzing's cost and its business outcomes.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health and Medical Administrative Services has 9 graduates with $39,231 year-one and $51,098 four-year earnings against $47,375 median debt, a 1.208 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade F). Graduates owe more than they earn annually. This is among the most adverse program-level outcomes in this dataset - $47,375 in debt for a field averaging $39,231 year-one is not financially viable.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 39.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 32.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 42.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Herzing University-Atlanta’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 | 93.8% |
| Enrollment | 387 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 70.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,516 |
Herzing Atlanta admits 93.8% of applicants with no test score data available. Open enrollment is the norm. The admissions process is not a meaningful filter. Students should make enrollment decisions based entirely on the completion rate data and the net price relative to their specific program's graduate earnings, as the institutional average is not representative of a completion scenario.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Herzing Atlanta's Scorecard peers include Agnes Scott College, Clark Atlanta University, Southwestern Christian University, Herzing University-Brookfield, and Mission University. Agnes Scott (selective HBCU, strong outcomes) is not a meaningful comparison. Clark Atlanta University (HBCU) serves a similar geographic market but with substantially higher completion rates. Among Herzing system campuses, institution-wide challenges with completion appear systemic. This peer group does not provide a competitive frame that flatters Herzing Atlanta.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herzing University-Atlanta (this school) | 11 | $21,679 | $36,909 |
| Agnes Scott College | 45 | $24,754 | $56,274 |
| Mission University | 15 | $21,383 | $38,641 |
| Clark Atlanta University | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
| Southwestern Christian University | 14 | $20,146 | $40,391 |
| Herzing University-Brookfield | 14 | $20,514 | $36,909 |
Who Thrives Here
Herzing University-Atlanta is a small private nonprofit campus (387 undergraduates) of the Herzing University system, targeting working adult learners in healthcare, business, and technology. The Pell grant rate of 70.3% indicates a heavily lower-income student body. Admission is near-open at 93.8%. Students considering Herzing should understand the institution's completion crisis - a 14% completion rate is not a framing concern, it is a direct statistical statement that the overwhelming majority of students who enroll will not finish their program. This outcome profile warrants extreme caution regardless of program interest.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Herzing University-Atlanta are a real concern. With a net cost of $21,679 per year and the typical graduate earning only $36,909 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 14.0% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 against $36,909 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.