John Carroll University
University Heights, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 80.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 61/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
John Carroll University scores 61 (Fair Value), with a 9.2-year payback period, 78.6% completion rate, and $40,500 median 6-year earnings. The Jesuit university in suburban Cleveland enrolls 2,274 students and charges $50,500 tuition with a net price of $28,746. Median debt of $26,000 produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.642 - elevated, reflecting a cost structure that puts graduates in a moderately stretched financial position. The program mix has wide spread: Economics and Computer Science carry B-grade ROIs; Philosophy and Kinesiology carry D and F grades respectively.
John Carroll University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $50,500/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $50,500/yr |
| Average net price | $28,746/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $114,984 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,860 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 78.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,274 |
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: $50,500/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 $28,746/year, or roughly $114,984 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 $19,945/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,240/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $26,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $276 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $62,860 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.64, 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 | $19,945 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,485 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,900 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,477 |
| $110,001+ | $34,240 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The $0-30,000 income bracket pays $19,945 per year at JCU. At four-year total cost around $80,000 and $40,500 median 6-year earnings, payback takes 9.2 years. Low-income students should focus on high-earning programs and use PSLF for any public service employment to improve the net debt picture.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($30,001-75,000) pay $19,485-$24,900 per year. The $30,001-48,000 bracket actually pays slightly less than the lowest income tier, a quirk in the aid formula. Four-year cost in this range is $78,000-$100,000. The 9.2-year payback period at average earnings is a consideration; selecting a high-ROI program meaningfully improves this.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $34,240 per year - about $137,000 over four years. Against $40,500 median 6-year earnings, the full-pay case requires choosing a program with above-median outcomes. CS ($65,716 year one), Accounting ($62,145), and Economics ($65,098) justify the investment; Kinesiology and liberal arts programs do not.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at John Carroll University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management | $84,728 | C+ |
| Marketing | $73,881 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $65,098 | D |
| Biology | $69,024 | B |
| Psychology | $54,870 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $78,272 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $62,270 | C |
| Accounting | $86,546 | B |
| International Relations | $57,377 | D |
| Economics | $91,386 | B |
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.
Economics
Economics (30 graduates) earns $65,098 year one and $91,386 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.415 (ROI grade B). The four-year figure of $91k reflects Cleveland's financial services, corporate, and healthcare administration sectors absorbing JCU economics graduates. B-grade ROI with $27,000 median debt is the best financial case available in the humanities-adjacent fields at this school.
Accounting
Accounting (38 graduates) earns $62,145 year one and $86,546 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.434 (ROI grade B). These are solid accounting outcomes for a regional private university. The four-year figure suggests CPA licensure and advancement into management accounting or auditing are common paths. Median debt of $27,000 is high but the B grade reflects earnings keeping pace.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is JCU's highest-volume business program at 75 graduates. Year-one earnings are $55,590, year-four $84,728, with debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.486 (ROI grade C+). The C+ grade reflects that year-one earnings are below the national finance graduate average - JCU's Cleveland market placement drives lower starting salaries than a similar program at a major urban university. The four-year trajectory to $84k is reasonable but not exceptional.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is JCU's largest program at 71 graduates and the financial risk is clear: $27,971 year one, $65,098 at year four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.965 (ROI grade D). The D grade reflects near-unity debt-to-salary in year one. Kinesiology graduates entering personal training, athletic coaching, or fitness management face a prolonged payback. Students targeting physical therapy or occupational therapy should budget for graduate school, which extends the debt picture further.
Philosophy
Philosophy (8 graduates) earns $17,813 year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.516 (ROI grade F). The F grade reflects debt exceeding 1.5 times annual salary at year one - the worst financial ratio of any program at JCU. No year-four data is available. Philosophy graduates who go to law school or graduate programs will see dramatically different 10-year trajectories, but the Scorecard captures near-term earnings for the full cohort, most of whom do not immediately enter high-earning fields.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 80.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 84.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How John Carroll University’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 | 80.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 580-670 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600-660 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-32 |
| Enrollment | 2,274 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,285 |
John Carroll accepts 80.9% of applicants. SAT Math 580-670 and Reading 600-660, ACT 25-32. The school is accessible and mid-range academically. ACT 25-32 and the acceptance rate suggest a broadly educated incoming class rather than a selective admit profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
John Carroll's peer group includes Susquehanna University, Lewis and Clark College, North Central College, Allegheny-Wesleyan College, and Art Academy of Cincinnati. Lewis and Clark has a more selective profile and stronger brand recognition in the Pacific Northwest; North Central College is a comparable Midwestern private. JCU's 78.6% completion rate is the strongest metric relative to peers and distinguishes it from schools in this tier with completion rates in the 50-65% range. The 9.2-year payback is longer than desirable for a school in this price range but is driven by the earnings floor in the Cleveland market.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Carroll University (this school) | 61 | $28,746 | $62,860 |
| North Central College | 63 | $21,044 | $60,123 |
| Lewis & Clark College | 61 | $36,013 | $62,205 |
| Susquehanna University | 61 | $28,819 | $61,723 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
John Carroll fits students seeking a small Jesuit liberal arts environment in the Cleveland metro who are targeting business, science, or CS programs. At 80.9% acceptance with ACT 25-32, it is accessible but not open-enrollment. The 78.6% completion rate is a genuine strength. Students entering Kinesiology (71 graduates, D-grade ROI), Sociology (18 graduates, D-grade), or Philosophy (8 graduates, F-grade) face an uphill debt-to-earnings ratio relative to the $28,746 net price.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
John Carroll University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $28,746 a year after aid ($114,984 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $62,860 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.2 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: its 78.5% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $26,000 against $62,860 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.