Johnson University
Knoxville, Tennessee · Private Nonprofit · 65.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Johnson University scores 25 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The school is a small Christian institution in Knoxville, Tennessee, with 743 undergraduates, built primarily around ministry, theology, and missions programs. Average 6-year earnings are $28,200, reflecting a student body pursuing vocational calling over financial return. The payback period is 40.8 years. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.762 and a repayment rate of 75.9% indicate graduates can service their debt but only slowly. The program mix is almost entirely religious: Bible/Biblical Studies (133 graduates, $32,078 year-one), Theological and Ministerial Studies (27 graduates, $33,627 year-one), Missions (7 graduates, $28,103 year-one), and Pastoral Counseling (5 graduates, $30,006 year-one). A small Business Administration cohort (12 graduates, $30,767 year-one) is the only secular alternative with volume. The net price of $22,063 per year - $88,252 total - against $28,200 average earnings is a difficult financial equation. Johnson University is a faith formation institution; students who choose it do so for reasons that conventional ROI measures do not capture.
How Johnson 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 Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period40.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Johnson University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $21,122/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,122/yr |
| Average net price | $22,063/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $88,252 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,596 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 40.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 56.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 743 |
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: $21,122/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $22,063/year, or roughly $88,252 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 $17,246/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,860/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,500, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,200) and comes to 0.76, 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 | $17,246 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,212 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,206 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,075 |
| $110,001+ | $24,860 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $17,246 per year - $68,984 over four years. Against $28,200 average earnings, this is a 40+ year payback by the institutional metric. Federal income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness are likely the appropriate debt management strategies for ministry graduates - the financial math works differently when loan forgiveness is part of the plan.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $23,206 per year and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $25,075 - approaching sticker price. Families in this bracket should be clear about what they are paying for.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $24,860 per year - $99,440 over four years. Johnson's high-income net price is close to its middle-income price, reflecting limited aid differentiation at the top. Full-pay enrollment in ministry programs earning $28,000-$33,000 is a values-based decision, not a financial one.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Johnson University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $39,600 | D |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $33,627 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $30,767 | D |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | $28,103 | D |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $30,006 | 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.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies is Johnson's largest program at 133 graduates, with $32,078 year-one and $39,600 four-year earnings. Median debt $24,375, debt-to-earnings ratio 0.760 (ROI grade D). The D-grade reflects the mismatch between program cost and ministry earnings, not the program's theological preparation. Students pursuing pastoral, youth ministry, or missionary careers should plan to manage $24,375 in debt on $32,000-$39,000 salaries, which is manageable over time with income-driven repayment options.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological and Ministerial Studies (27 graduates) earns $33,627 year-one with $23,250 median debt and a 0.691 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C). This is the strongest financial outcome in Johnson's program set. C-grade outcomes for ministry are above average for religious vocation programs. Students entering pastoral roles in established churches with compensation packages may find this a relatively manageable debt structure.
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
Missions (7 graduates) earns $28,103 year-one with $23,876 median debt and a 0.850 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade D). Missions careers often involve organizational stipends, support-based funding, or nonprofit wages that compress the reported earnings figure. The D-grade reflects the financial reality - missions work is not financially rewarding by design. Students should plan their debt levels with this career arc in mind.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Johnson 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 | 65.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-24 |
| Enrollment | 743 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,075 |
Johnson University admits 65.1% of applicants - accessible but not open enrollment. The mid-range ACT of 18-24 spans a wide academic range. The admissions decision is as much a community fit judgment as an academic one - students are expected to embrace the university's Christian mission.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson University (this school) | 25 | $22,063 | $40,596 |
| Baptist Health Sciences University | 69 | $11,212 | $72,529 |
| American Baptist College | 32 | $9,216 | $41,216 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 25 | $4,543 | $17,360 |
| Young Harris College | 24 | $22,034 | $47,195 |
| Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | 24 | $10,566 | $40,694 |
Who Thrives Here
Johnson University serves students who are specifically called to Christian ministry, missions, or church-related vocations. The campus is small (743 students), rural-suburban in Knoxville, and deeply community-oriented around evangelical Christian faith. ACT mid-range is 18-24, with SAT 470-540 Math and 490-570 Reading. The 38.7% Pell rate reflects a moderate low-income presence. Admission is 65.1%. Students who are not specifically called to ministry work should be aware that the career pipelines Johnson University supports lead to occupations with limited earnings upside by design.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Johnson University scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,063 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,596 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 40.8 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 0.76 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76. 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 University: Common Questions
Is Johnson University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Johnson University scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,063 a year after aid against $40,596 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 40.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Johnson 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 $22,063 a year, or roughly $88,252 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 University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,596 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Johnson 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 40.8 years for Johnson University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Johnson University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,500, against average earnings of $28,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76. 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 University?
The six-year graduation rate is 56.8%. 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.