John Paul the Great Catholic University
Escondido, California · Private Nonprofit · 79.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
John Paul the Great Catholic University (JPCU) in Escondido, California posts a 46/100 ROI score in our Below Average Value tier. The school is a small, mission-focused Catholic institution specializing in media, business, and theology programs designed to integrate faith with creative-industry training. Sticker tuition of $30,265 is significantly amplified by California cost-of-living — net price of $34,666 actually EXCEEDS the published tuition (an unusual pattern that reflects high room/board/fees) — pushing four-year cost to $138,664. Median 6-year earnings are not reported; 10-year earnings of $56,930 are decent but not exceptional given the cost. Median debt of $26,968 paired with a 12.7-year paybackPeriod produces a moderate-but-difficult financial profile. The 63.9% completion rate is reasonable. Repayment rates and debt-to-earnings ratios are not reported in current Scorecard data — the dataCompleteness is 0.8, reflecting these gaps. With just 286 students and a 32.6% Pell rate, JPCU is one of the smallest institutions on our database. The school's value proposition rests on a focused Catholic media-and-storytelling mission that draws students nationally; financial outcomes alone don't capture the integrated faith-formation experience.
John Paul the Great Catholic University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $30,265/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $30,265/yr |
| Average net price | $34,666/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $138,664 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $56,930 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,968 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 286 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at John Paul the Great Catholic University is $30,265/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $34,666/year, or roughly $138,664 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $27,029/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $38,282/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,968 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $56,930 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is N/A - (insufficient data to assess).
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 | $27,029 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $35,037 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $31,236 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,194 |
| $110,001+ | $38,282 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $27,029 net — high relative to income. Across four years that's $108,116 against $56,930 10-year earnings. Pell helps but the gap remains. The math is genuinely difficult for low-income families without significant outside aid; the Catholic-media mission attracts students who often bring family or parish-network financial support to bridge the gap.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The brackets show notable inversions: $30,001–$48,000 pays $35,037 — actually MORE than the $48,001–$75,000 bracket ($31,236) and the $75,001–$110,000 bracket ($32,194). This inversion likely reflects sample-size noise from the small student body (286 enrolled). Run JPCU's net price calculator directly. Middle-income families pay $125,000-$140,000 over four years — difficult math.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $38,282 — about $153,128 across four years, well above the published $138,664 total cost figure. High-income full-pay families are paying close to or above sticker. Choices made at this price point are mission-driven; the financial math does not justify JPCU on ROI alone, but the Catholic-media-formation experience is genuinely unique.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at John Paul the Great Catholic University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $35,917 | D |
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.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/Video is JPCU's flagship program, central to the school's Catholic-media identity. First-year earnings of $27,221 climb to $35,917 by year four, with $26,925 median debt yielding a 0.99 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). The Catholic-film industry is a small market with a long earnings runway; graduates who connect into Catholic media networks (EWTN, Word on Fire, parachurch productions) see better long-term outcomes than the population statistics suggest. Students with broader film-industry ambitions should weigh whether USC, Loyola Marymount, or Chapman offer comparable Catholic identity at stronger general-market outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 79.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 505-660 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-28 |
| Enrollment | 286 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,563 |
JPCU admits 79.6% of applicants — moderately selective with broad accessibility for mission-aligned students. SAT mid-ranges of 470-610 (math) and 505-660 (reading) and an ACT range of 21-28 indicate a student body in the middle of the four-year college market. The 63.9% completion rate suggests admit standards are reasonably matched to retention; mission-aligned students who connect with the school's Catholic-media identity tend to persist.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
JPCU's listed peers — ArtCenter College of Design, Azusa Pacific University, Boston Architectural College, Northwest University CCOE, and Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical College — span an awkward range. ArtCenter is a structural mis-comparison (an elite design school with much different outcomes). Azusa Pacific is the closest direct peer (California, Christian-affiliated) with somewhat better completion. Boston Architectural is a niche professional school; the Yeshiva is a religious-vocation peer. Among the genuine peers, JPCU sits in a small Catholic-media niche that's hard to compare directly.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Paul the Great Catholic University (this school) | 46 | $34,666 | $56,930 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
| Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education | 44 | $35,671 | $54,914 |
| Boston Architectural College | 43 | $25,865 | $62,123 |
| Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical College | 39 | $10,880 | $41,785 |
Who Thrives Here
JPCU fits Catholic students drawn to integrated faith-and-media training, particularly those targeting Catholic film, theological studies, or business-with-Catholic-social-teaching tracks. With just 286 students and a 32.6% Pell rate, the campus is exceptionally small and mission-defined. Strong outcomes for students who leverage the school's industry-specific networks (Catholic media, parachurch ministry, Christian film); weaker for students seeking general-market career paths. Students considering JPCU should be clear about the specifically Catholic-media identity and its limitations as a credential outside that ecosystem.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The financial case for John Paul the Great Catholic University is mixed. At $34,666 per year net cost, graduates earn a median of $56,930 ten years after entry - a payback period of 12.7 years. That's below the average return for four-year institutions, and prospective students should carefully consider whether the investment aligns with their financial goals.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost.
Median debt of $26,968 against $56,930 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.