Howard Payne University
Brownwood, Texas · Private Nonprofit · 67.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Howard Payne University earns an overall ROI score of 27 out of 100, placing it firmly in Below Benchmark territory. The dominant weakness is completion: just 27.98% of enrollees graduate, producing a 9/100 sub-score and meaning more than seven of every ten students who start at Howard Payne leave without a degree. Average earnings six years after enrollment are $34,000, climbing to a median $48,376 by year 10 - modest figures that produce a 17.5-year payback period. Median debt of $26,793 generates a 0.788 debt-to-earnings ratio. Net price is $23,627 against sticker tuition of $34,982, so institutional aid discounts roughly $11,000 per year. The one notable bright spot is the 77.9% three-year repayment rate, which suggests graduates (who are a minority of enrollees) do manage their loans responsibly. Howard Payne is a small Texas Baptist university serving rural West Texas.
How Howard Payne 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 Score27/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate28.0% - 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 period17.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Howard Payne University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,982/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,982/yr |
| Average net price | $23,627/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $94,508 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,376 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,793 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $284 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 28.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 713 |
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: $34,982/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $23,627/year, or roughly $94,508 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 $24,043/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,182/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,793, which works out to about $284 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,000) and comes to 0.79, 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 | $24,043 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,423 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,917 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,412 |
| $110,001+ | $24,182 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $24,043 net. Pell covers roughly $7,000, but federal loans absorb the rest. Over four years that is $96,000 toward a degree most students never receive, and average earnings of $34,000 for those who do.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $21,423 (the lowest published rate) and the $48,001-$75,000 bracket jumps back up to $25,917 - an inverted-bracket pattern. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $23,412. Aid distribution does not follow income progressively, which suggests the school's discounting is primarily merit-based rather than need-based.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001-plus bracket pays $24,182 - effectively the same as every other bracket. There is no meaningful merit or need discount for any income tier. High-income families pay nearly full freight for a school with a 28% completion rate. The case has to rest on faith identity and family tradition.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Howard Payne University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $56,101 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $54,795 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $35,357 | - |
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 graduates 13 students per year with $47,047 first-year earnings climbing to $54,795 by year four. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.531 ratio and a C+ ROI grade - one of the stronger programs at the school. Graduates take jobs in central and West Texas regional businesses, banks, and ranching-adjacent industries. The earnings are higher than the school average because completing graduates self-select for engagement and ambition.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Teacher Education Subject-Specific graduates 19 students annually with $45,891 first-year earnings rising to $56,101 by year four. Median debt of $24,467 produces a 0.533 ratio and a C+ ROI grade. Graduates fill secondary teaching positions in West Texas school districts, where the Howard Payne pipeline is well-established. Salary growth reflects Texas teacher pay scales, which have benefited from recent state-level pay raises.
Teacher Education
General Teacher Education (elementary) graduates 10 students per year with $35,357 first-year earnings; four-year earnings and debt data are not reported, preventing a full ROI grade. The lower year-one wage reflects elementary teaching positions in small rural West Texas districts, which pay below the secondary subject-area positions tracked under CIP 1313.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Howard Payne 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 | 67.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-550 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-27 |
| Enrollment | 713 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 44.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,842 |
Howard Payne admits 67.4% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 440-550 math and 440-610 reading, and ACT composite 16-27. The wide ACT band (16-27) signals an institution admitting a very broad academic range - some genuinely strong students alongside students well below college-readiness benchmarks. The lower bound is concerning: ACT 16 corresponds to roughly 4th-grade reading and pre-algebra math, and admitting students at that level is a significant driver of the 27.98% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Howard Payne's completion rate is 27.98%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Payne University (this school) | 27 | $23,627 | $48,376 |
| Asbury University | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Belhaven University | 29 | $15,676 | $46,440 |
| Central Christian College of Kansas | 28 | $11,404 | $44,468 |
| Liberty University | 28 | $29,357 | $44,813 |
| Lee University | 27 | $18,878 | $43,222 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Howard Payne University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment of 713 with a 44.3% Pell rate signals a small, predominantly low-income West Texas student body, many of whom are first-generation college students from Baptist communities. The structural problem: the school admits many students who are not academically prepared, and only 28% graduate. Strong fit: a narrow band of committed, prepared Baptist-tradition students pursuing teacher education or business with clear post-college plans in their home communities. Weak fit: anyone less than fully committed, where the 72% non-completion rate produces debt without credential.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Howard Payne University scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $23,627 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,376 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.5 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 28.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,793 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. 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.
Howard Payne University: Common Questions
Is Howard Payne University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Howard Payne University scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $23,627 a year after aid against $48,376 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Howard Payne 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 $23,627 a year, or roughly $94,508 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 Howard Payne University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,376 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,576 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 Howard Payne 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 17.5 years for Howard Payne University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Howard Payne University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,793, against average earnings of $34,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. 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 Howard Payne University?
The six-year graduation rate is 28.0%. 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.