Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Providence, Rhode Island · Private Nonprofit · 88.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Johnson & Wales University-Providence scores 27 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The headline numbers are stark: $33,400 average 6-year earnings, a 31.4-year payback period, and only 55.4% of students completing a degree. Published tuition is $42,419 and the net price is $31,027; over four years that comes to nearly $124,000. The institutional ROI is dragged down by the composition of its majors: Culinary Arts (168 graduates, $32,775 year-one, D-grade ROI), Hospitality Administration (59 graduates, $33,374 year-one, D-grade), and Foods/Nutrition (89 graduates, $32,586 year-one, D-grade) collectively represent the largest enrollment blocks. Computer Engineering (0 graduates reported, $95,371 four-year, B-grade) and Computer Systems Networking (2 graduates, $85,387 four-year) have strong program-level outcomes but negligible volume. The repayment rate of 80.3% is the one bright spot, suggesting students who graduate and enter the workforce can service their debt - but the 31.4-year payback makes that a cold comfort. JWU Providence is not a financially rational choice for most students at its current price point relative to its actual graduate outcomes.
How Johnson & Wales University-Providence 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.
- Payback period31.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $42,419/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $42,419/yr |
| Average net price | $31,027/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $124,108 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,418 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 31.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,868 |
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: $42,419/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $31,027/year, or roughly $124,108 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 $25,530/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $35,464/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,000, which works out to about $276 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,400) and comes to 0.78, 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 | $25,530 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $25,443 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,088 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,803 |
| $110,001+ | $35,464 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $25,530 net per year at JWU Providence - $102,120 over four years before room and board. Against $33,400 average earnings and a 55.4% completion rate, this is a high-risk investment for low-income students. Even with maximum financial aid, JWU's price point exceeds what the outcomes typically support. Low-income students should prioritize the small cohort of STEM and technology programs where four-year earnings exceed $85,000.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $28,088 per year and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $31,803. At these price levels, the 31.4-year payback period is a direct indicator that the average JWU graduate does not recover their investment within a working career. Middle-income families are paying near-full price for outcomes that do not justify it outside a handful of technical programs.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $35,464 per year, totaling roughly $141,000 over four years. JWU's high-income net price is close to its sticker price, reflecting limited aid for this bracket. Culinary and hospitality programs generating $33,000-$55,000 in earnings do not justify $141,000 of investment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Johnson & Wales University-Providence with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | $55,056 | D |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $50,571 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,632 | C |
| Hospitality Administration | $55,790 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,186 | C |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $56,241 | D |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $50,374 | D |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $39,502 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $51,247 | D |
| Entrepreneurship | $47,042 | 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.
Hospitality Administration
Hospitality Administration has 59 graduates earning $33,374 at year one and $55,790 at year four, against $26,175 median debt and a 0.784 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade D). For a hospitality program costing $31,000 annually net, this is a poor outcome. A hospitality student borrowing the median amount will spend years servicing debt on a salary that barely exceeds it. This is JWU's signature program; the financial profile is not favorable.
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Culinary Arts is JWU's largest program at 168 graduates. Median year-one earnings are $32,775 and year-four $55,056, against $27,000 median debt and a 0.824 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade D). Culinary careers offer real professional pathways, but the model here is $31,027 per year for training that leads to $32,775 starting pay.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice is JWU's largest graded program at 68 graduates, earning $38,871 at year one and $56,632 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.695 (ROI grade C).
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration has 53 graduates earning $39,917 at year one and $59,186 at year four, with $27,000 median debt and a 0.676 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C).
Finance and Financial Management
Finance stands out within JWU's program mix: 12 graduates earning $53,555 at year one and $73,152 at year four against $27,000 debt, a 0.504 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C+). While still a C+ - not strong - Finance is JWU's best business-track outcome by volume. The small graduate cohort limits how much weight this can carry in evaluating the institution overall.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Johnson & Wales University-Providence’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 | 88.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-27 |
| Enrollment | 3,868 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,624 |
JWU admits 88.4% of applicants - effectively open enrollment. SAT Math 430-570 and Reading 460-590 describe a broad academic range. Admission is not a differentiating factor in the enrollment decision. Students and families should focus their evaluation entirely on whether the specific program they intend to complete delivers earnings commensurate with JWU's price tag, which for most culinary and hospitality programs, the data says it does not.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
JWU's 27 ROI score places it in the Below Benchmark tier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson & Wales University-Providence (this school) | 27 | $31,027 | $43,418 |
| Brown University | 96 | $25,184 | $93,487 |
| Bryant University | 84 | $41,219 | $90,008 |
| Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico | 27 | $17,540 | $47,540 |
| Columbia College | 25 | $22,715 | $45,378 |
| Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies | 24 | $20,473 | $47,327 |
Who Thrives Here
JWU Providence draws students interested in culinary arts, hospitality, and food service management - vocational niches. Enrollment stands at 3,868 with a 30% Pell grant rate. Admission is open at 88.4%; SAT mid-range is 430-570 Math and 460-590 Reading, ACT 22-27.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Johnson & Wales University-Providence scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $31,027 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,418 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 31.4 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, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. 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.
Johnson & Wales University-Providence: Common Questions
Is Johnson & Wales University-Providence worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Johnson & Wales University-Providence scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $31,027 a year after aid against $43,418 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 31.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Johnson & Wales University-Providence 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 $31,027 a year, or roughly $124,108 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 Johnson & Wales University-Providence graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,418 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,618 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 Johnson & Wales University-Providence?
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 31.4 years for Johnson & Wales University-Providence. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Johnson & Wales University-Providence graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,000, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. 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 Johnson & Wales University-Providence?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.4%. 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.