Indiana University-Southeast
New Albany, Indiana · Public · 84.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 52/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Indiana University-Southeast earns an overall ROI score of 52/100 (Below Average Value). Sticker tuition is $8,424 in-state and $22,811 out-of-state, with average net price after grants and scholarships at $7,888. Average earnings six years after entry land at $32,800, climbing to a median of roughly $47,596 by year ten, producing a payback period of about 13.6 years. Median federal debt of $19,684 works out to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, which is tight. Completion is the headline weakness at 39.2% of degree-seeking students finishing within 150% of normal time. The component scores break down as earnings premium 82/100, completion 20/100, payback 42/100, debt-to-earnings 51/100, repayment 32/100. The lowest sub-score is completion rate at 20/100, which is the main weight pulling the overall number down; the strongest sub-score is earnings premium over a high-school baseline at 82/100. Data points here come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (2024-2025 vintage), and Scorecard earnings carry a 6-10 year reporting lag, so the figures describe recent graduating cohorts rather than this year's incoming class.
How Indiana University-Southeast 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.
- 6-year graduation rate39.2% - 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.
Indiana University-Southeast
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,424/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,811/yr |
| Average net price | $7,888/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $31,552 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,596 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,684 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $209 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,170 |
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: $8,424/year ($22,811/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $7,888/year, or roughly $31,552 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 $3,782/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $14,276/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,684, which works out to about $209 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,800) and comes to 0.60, 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 | $3,782 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,978 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $7,046 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $11,730 |
| $110,001+ | $14,276 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of $3,782 per year here. With expected earnings around $47,596 a decade out, that's a workable number - Pell, state grants, and any institutional aid are doing real work to make it accessible, but families should still model debt carefully across four years.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) face a net price of about $7,046 per year. These households typically get less Pell support and partial institutional aid, so the tuition bill is more directly felt. Whether the math works depends on the major: programs with stronger early earnings can absorb this cost; lower-paying majors will produce a longer payback period.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families in the $110,000+ bracket pay an average of $14,276 per year.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Indiana University-Southeast with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $49,376 | D |
| Psychology | $46,145 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $80,132 | B |
| Teacher Education | $46,073 | C |
| Biology | $56,463 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $48,931 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,003 | C |
| Computer Science | $102,250 | - |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $42,084 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $47,064 | - |
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.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences (CIP 2401) graduates 113 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $37,440 and four-year earnings of $49,376. Median program debt is $28,948 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77, which is heavy. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of D.
Psychology
Psychology (CIP 4201) graduates 67 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $33,438 and four-year earnings of $46,145. Median program debt is $21,988 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66, which is tight. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of C. Psychology bachelor's-level outcomes are weak unless paired with graduate study; the debt-to-earnings ratio here reflects that reality.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (CIP 5138) graduates 64 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $66,302 and four-year earnings of $80,132. Median program debt is $25,719 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39, which is manageable. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of B. Nursing graduates typically enter clinical settings with strong wage floors and transferable licensure, which is why these programs hold up even at high cost.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (CIP 1312) graduates 55 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $43,243 and four-year earnings of $46,073. Median program debt is $24,145 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56, which is tight. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of C. Teacher education leads to relatively low-volatility employment but capped wages, so debt management matters more than at higher-earning majors.
Biology
Biology (CIP 2601) graduates 34 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $35,707 and four-year earnings of $56,463. Median program debt is $24,890 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70, which is tight. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of C. Health-adjacent bachelor's majors often need a graduate or licensure step to hit the earnings figures shown; budget for that next step in the financing plan.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 54.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 61.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Indiana University-Southeast’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 | 84.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 480-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-25 |
| Enrollment | 3,170 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,962 |
The school admits roughly 84.5% of applicants, putting it in the broad-access category (SAT Math 25th-75th of 480-570; SAT Reading 25th-75th of 490-610; ACT Composite 25th-75th of 20-25). For prepared students with solid high school records the admit decision is unlikely to be the binding constraint here. Selectivity correlates loosely with completion in Scorecard data, and at 39.2% this campus's completion rate is consistent with the broad-access profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Indiana University-Southeast sits at ROI 52 with 13.6yr payback.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University-Southeast (this school) | 52 | $7,888 | $47,596 |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College | 56 | $5,718 | $46,498 |
| Ball State University | 54 | $14,940 | $51,833 |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | 52 | $10,892 | $48,866 |
| Plymouth State University | 52 | $19,216 | $57,304 |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | 35 | $13,171 | $45,872 |
Who Thrives Here
Fit skews toward students who want regional access without paying flagship-level tuition. Be honest about completion: at this rate, a meaningful share of students who enroll do not finish, and incomplete degrees produce the worst ROI of any path. Median earnings ten years out of $47,596 should be the honest yardstick for whether the price the family will actually pay (see the income-bracket breakdown below) leads to a workable post-graduation budget.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Indiana University-Southeast is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $7,888 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $47,596 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 13.6 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 39.2% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,684 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Indiana University-Southeast: Common Questions
Is Indiana University-Southeast worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Indiana University-Southeast scores 52/100 on our ROI scale. At $7,888 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $47,596 ten years after entry, so it takes about 13.6 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Indiana University-Southeast 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 $7,888 a year, or roughly $31,552 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 Indiana University-Southeast graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $47,596 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,796 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 Indiana University-Southeast?
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 13.6 years for Indiana University-Southeast. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Indiana University-Southeast graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,684, against average earnings of $32,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Indiana University-Southeast?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.2%. 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.