Kentucky Wesleyan College
Owensboro, Kentucky · Private Nonprofit · 71.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Kentucky Wesleyan College earns a CampusROI score of 31 (Below Benchmark tier). The debt picture is the score's biggest drag: $23,250 in median debt against $30,100 in early earnings yields a 0.772 debt-to-earnings ratio (subscore 18), pushing the payback period to 17.8 years. The 46.8% completion rate (subscore 32) further weighs on the score - roughly half of entering students leave without a degree. The 73.6% three-year repayment rate is one of the few healthy signals: borrowers are mostly current on payments even if balances are paying down slowly. Kentucky Wesleyan enrolls 842 students with a 49.5% Pell rate, meaning the school serves a heavily lower-income population that bears the brunt of the weak ROI math.
How Kentucky Wesleyan College 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 Score31/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,673/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,673/yr |
| Average net price | $17,131/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $68,524 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,747 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 842 |
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: $34,673/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,131/year, or roughly $68,524 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 $13,951/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,888/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,250, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($30,100) and comes to 0.77, 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 | $13,951 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,701 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,062 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,306 |
| $110,001+ | $22,888 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $13,951 per year, totaling about $55,800 over four years - the second-lowest net price across income brackets. Even with this discount, $30,100 in early-career earnings against typical Pell-plus-loan financing leaves limited cushion. The low debt-load works only for students who finish; the 46.8% completion rate means roughly half take on debt without earning the degree premium.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-75,000) pay $15,062 annually - about $60,000 over four years. The aid stacking thins as income climbs, but middle-bracket families still receive meaningful discounting. With $46,747 in ten-year median earnings, the math works for graduates who complete and land in business or education tracks; less so for those in genetics or general liberal arts.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $22,888 per year - $91,552 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Kentucky Wesleyan College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $42,948 | C |
| Business Administration and Management | $64,396 | C |
| Teacher Education | $39,559 | - |
| Genetics | $17,085 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,867 | - |
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.
Business Administration and Management
Business is one of KWC's stronger programs with year-one earnings of $41,059 climbing to $64,396 by year four. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.609 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. With 20 graduates per year, the program funnels students into regional banking, manufacturing, and healthcare-admin roles around Owensboro. The four-year earnings trajectory is the most encouraging signal in the school's program data.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the largest program by graduates (22 per year) with four-year median earnings of $42,948 and median debt of $25,000, yielding a 0.582 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Most students target physical therapy, athletic training, or coaching - fields that typically require additional graduate credentialing. Year-one earnings aren't reported, but the four-year figure suggests modest wage growth in the field's typical career arc.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 14 students per year with four-year median earnings of $52,867. Median debt and ROI grade are not reported in current data. Career paths flow into state law enforcement, corrections, and federal screening roles - stable wages once placed.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 17 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $39,559. Four-year earnings and debt figures are unreported in current Scorecard data.
Genetics
Genetics graduates 16 students per year, but year-one earnings of just $17,085 reveal a major caveat: most genetics bachelor's holders require graduate school to reach lab/biotech wages, and the early-career data captures only those who haven't yet moved on. Four-year earnings, debt, and ROI grade are unreported here - but prospective students should plan on at least a master's degree to make the major financially viable.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 73.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 63.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 67.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Kentucky Wesleyan College’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 | 71.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-560 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-23 |
| Enrollment | 842 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,353 |
Kentucky Wesleyan admits 71.6% of applicants, with reported SAT mid-ranges of 450-570 math and 440-560 reading, and an ACT 25-75 of 16-23. The 46.8% completion rate correlates with the test profile: schools admitting wider academic bands generally see weaker retention.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
KWC's score is 31.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Wesleyan College (this school) | 31 | $17,131 | $46,747 |
| Thiel College | 33 | $22,347 | $49,714 |
| Lake Erie College | 32 | $20,961 | $50,417 |
| Huntingdon College | 29 | $22,566 | $49,601 |
| Asbury University | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Alice Lloyd College | 18 | $18,600 | $40,573 |
Who Thrives Here
Kentucky Wesleyan fits students who want a small Methodist-affiliated college experience in western Kentucky, especially those drawn to faith-based community at 842-student scale. Strong-fit students are typically those committed to a specific KWC program (criminal justice, education, kinesiology) and a Christian-college environment. Wage outcomes are modest - $46,747 at ten years - so prospective students should pressure-test whether the cultural fit justifies the financing math.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Kentucky Wesleyan College scores 31/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,131 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,747 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.8 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, its 46.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $30,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77. 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.
Kentucky Wesleyan College: Common Questions
Is Kentucky Wesleyan College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Kentucky Wesleyan College scores 31/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,131 a year after aid against $46,747 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Kentucky Wesleyan College 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 $17,131 a year, or roughly $68,524 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 Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,747 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,947 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 Kentucky Wesleyan College?
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 17.8 years for Kentucky Wesleyan College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $30,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77. 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 Kentucky Wesleyan College?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.8%. 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.