Lenoir-Rhyne University
Hickory, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 84.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 28/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lenoir-Rhyne University earns an ROI score of 28 out of 100, landing in the Below Benchmark tier. Graduates earn $33,700 six years out and $45,543 at ten years, with $26,000 median debt and a 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio. The 21.1-year payback period is long. The fundamental drag on the score is a 47.8% completion rate, with more than half of entering students never finishing. Lenoir-Rhyne's nursing program produces strong outcomes, but a wide tail of weaker programs (especially kinesiology) drags the institutional average down. For a North Carolina student aiming at nursing, the math can work; for marginal admits or students in low-paying majors, the combination of low completion and high debt-to-earnings is a serious financial risk.
How Lenoir-Rhyne 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 Score28/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period21.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $31,900/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,900/yr |
| Average net price | $20,689/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $82,756 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,543 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 21.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,359 |
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: $31,900/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,689/year, or roughly $82,756 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 $18,669/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,866/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 ($33,700) 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 | $18,669 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,768 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,209 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,878 |
| $110,001+ | $25,866 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $18,669, and the $30,001-$48,000 band pays $18,768 (nearly identical). Combined with Pell Grant eligibility and North Carolina state aid, low-income families face roughly $75,000 over four years. The math is tight against $45,543 ten-year earnings, workable only with the right major.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 band pays $17,209, the lowest in the grid, a notable inversion that meaningfully favors lower-middle-class families. The $75,001-$110,000 band jumps to $21,878. The unusual aid pattern means lower-middle families see Lenoir-Rhyne's best deal. Flag this when advising students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $25,866, still well below the $31,900 sticker thanks to merit aid. Over four years, high-income families absorb roughly $103,000 in net cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Lenoir-Rhyne University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $78,839 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $53,609 | F |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $45,534 | C |
| Teacher Education | $44,131 | C |
| Human Services, General | $32,732 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Lenoir-Rhyne's strongest program at 49 graduates. First-year earnings of $64,846 climb to $78,839 at four years, with $26,300 median debt producing a 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. The North Carolina hospital system (Atrium, Novant, regional hospitals in the Hickory-Charlotte corridor) absorbs new RNs at strong wages. This is the cleanest financial pathway on campus.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is Lenoir-Rhyne's second-largest program at 40 graduates with a deeply troubling financial profile. First-year earnings of $22,695 climb to $53,609 at four years, but the early-career compression is extreme. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 1.19 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. Most kinesiology grads need graduate study in PT, OT, or athletic training to monetize the degree; the four-year recovery reflects that. Plan for graduate school as part of the cost picture.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences graduates 23 students with $45,534 first-year earnings. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.59 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. Four-year earnings are unreported. A defensible secondary financial pathway behind nursing, with reasonable wage outcomes for a quantitative business track.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 22 students with $40,610 first-year and $44,131 four-year earnings. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. PSLF eligibility for public school teachers materially improves the long-run picture.
Human Services, General
Human Services graduates 12 students with $32,732 first-year earnings. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Four-year earnings are unreported. Human services pay is structurally low in North Carolina nonprofit and county social service settings. Mission-driven students should plan on graduate study to access licensed clinical roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 75.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lenoir-Rhyne 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 | 84.6% |
| Enrollment | 1,359 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,780 |
Lenoir-Rhyne admits 84.6% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with the school's test-optional posture. Selectivity here is light enough that students take on substantial financial risk without a strong completion guarantee.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenoir-Rhyne University (this school) | 28 | $20,689 | $45,543 |
| University of Bridgeport | 27 | $27,807 | $50,323 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
Who Thrives Here
Lenoir-Rhyne enrolls 1,359 students with a 39.2% Pell rate, indicating a working-class to lower-middle-class student body drawn from western North Carolina. The fit profile is a local Hickory-area or western NC student wanting a small Lutheran-tradition college close to home, ideally targeting nursing or education. The 47.8% completion rate signals that students who arrive academically marginal frequently leave with debt and no degree.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Lenoir-Rhyne University scores 28/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,689 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,543 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 21.1 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 47.8% 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 $26,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,700 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.
Lenoir-Rhyne University: Common Questions
Is Lenoir-Rhyne University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Lenoir-Rhyne University scores 28/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,689 a year after aid against $45,543 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 21.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Lenoir-Rhyne 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 $20,689 a year, or roughly $82,756 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 Lenoir-Rhyne University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,543 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,743 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 Lenoir-Rhyne 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 21.1 years for Lenoir-Rhyne University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Lenoir-Rhyne University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,000, against average earnings of $33,700 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 Lenoir-Rhyne University?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.8%. 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.