Life University
Marietta, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 93.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Life University, a chiropractic-focused private-nonprofit in Marietta, Georgia, scores 31 overall - Poor Value tier. The headline numbers are difficult: median earnings sit at $36,500 six years after entry, climbing only to $47,397 at ten years, while the payback period stretches to 20.9 years. The standout weakness is repayment: only 37.1% of borrowers are paying down principal at three years (sub-score of 3 out of 100) - one of the lowest repayment rates in the dataset. Tuition is $15,036 but net price jumps to $29,791 - the net price exceeds tuition by nearly $15,000, signaling that mandatory fees, books, housing, and living costs dominate and that institutional aid is thin. Four-year cost lands at $119,164. Completion is 37.9% - also among the lowest in the comparison set. The one bright spot is debt-to-earnings at 0.457 (score of 80) because median debt is only $16,666 - many students leave with relatively low borrowing. The picture: low debt but very poor completion and very poor repayment, suggesting non-completers without strong outcomes is the dominant pattern.
The data raises concerns about Life University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score31/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate37.9% - Well below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022). Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period20.9 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Life University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,036/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,036/yr |
| Average net price | $29,791/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $119,164 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,397 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,666 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $177 |
| Estimated payback period | 20.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 37.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 893 |
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: $15,036/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $29,791/year, or roughly $119,164 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 $28,151/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,883/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $16,666 in federal loans, which works out to about $177 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $47,397 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.46, comfortably manageable.
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 | $28,151 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $28,136 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $30,263 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $33,995 |
| $110,001+ | $30,883 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $28,151 net - substantially exceeding the $15,036 sticker tuition because fees, housing, and living costs dominate the total. Four-year cost is over $112,000 against $47,397 in 10-year earnings. Even with Pell, the math is hard; the price floor is set by non-tuition costs, not aid.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $30,263 - slightly more than the $75,001-$110,000 band's $33,995 is roughly in line but the $110,000+ bracket's $30,883 is actually lower than the $75-110K bracket. That is an inverted upper-income bracket anomaly, likely from small-sample variance. Four-year cost is $121,000 against the same $47,397 earnings ceiling.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $33,995, while $110,000+ pays $30,883 - an inverted bracket where higher earners pay less. Likely sample variance or merit-grant patterns. For high-income families, four-year cost lands around $123,000-$136,000 - a substantial commitment for a value proposition that depends heavily on continuing to the Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Life University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $57,278 | B+ |
| Psychology | $54,291 | D |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $57,462 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $78,151 | - |
| Business Administration and Management | $50,853 | 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.
Biology
Biology is the strongest undergraduate program: 41 graduates with $57,278 four-year earnings and only $16,668 median debt - a 0.291 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ grade. The earnings reflect graduates who continue into chiropractic, medical, or PA school; Life's biology curriculum is built as a feeder to its graduate health programs. A solid path for students with clear pre-professional plans.
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
Physiology and Pathology produces 38 graduates with $36,662 first-year earnings rising to $57,462 by year four. Median debt of $22,439 yields a 0.612 ratio and C grade. Strong four-year earnings growth signals graduates moving into healthcare professional roles; the year-one number reflects the credentialing delay common in allied health.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 39 students earning $34,260 in year one and $54,291 by year four, but median debt of $31,000 produces a 0.905 ratio and D grade. The high debt is the issue - Life's psychology track loads debt at nearly twice the biology cohort. Year-four earnings improve materially, but the debt-to-earnings math at entry is poor.
Business Administration and Management
Business Admin reports null graduates in this Scorecard pull but earnings and debt are reported: $29,618 year one, $50,853 year four, against $27,416 debt (0.926 ratio, D grade). Among the weaker outcomes in the school. The flat first-year earnings and elevated debt make this the program with the most challenging immediate post-graduation math.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 22.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 37.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 41.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 48.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Life 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 | 93.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-20 |
| Enrollment | 893 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,524 |
Life admits 93% of applicants - essentially open admission. SAT mid-ranges (Math 440-540, Reading 480-590) and ACT 17-20 reflect modest academic preparation. The 37.9% completion rate maps to that profile: when admission gating is light and entering scores are below average, persistence suffers. Students considering Life should weigh the strong non-completion risk seriously - nearly two-thirds of entering students do not finish in six years.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Life's peer set is heterogeneous: Agnes Scott (a strong women's liberal-arts college in Decatur) is far stronger on ROI; Clark Atlanta is an HBCU with similar accessibility and slightly better outcomes. Wilmington (OH), Hilbert (NY), and Pikeville (KY) are small regional Christian-affiliated private-nonprofits with comparable scale and similar middling ROI. Against the closest peers (Wilmington, Hilbert, Pikeville), Life's 31 score is at the lower end - repayment rate is the main differentiator pulling it down.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life University (this school) | 31 | $29,791 | $47,397 |
| Agnes Scott College | 45 | $24,754 | $56,274 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| Hilbert College | 32 | $22,723 | $48,309 |
| Wilmington College | 30 | $24,153 | $48,491 |
| Clark Atlanta University | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
Who Thrives Here
Life fits students aiming at chiropractic-graduate-school admission (Life's signature offering is its Doctor of Chiropractic program; the undergraduate is largely a feeder). Pell rate of 40% indicates a substantial Pell-eligible cohort. Enrollment of 893 supports limited program breadth - biology, exercise/health sciences, and psychology dominate. Strong fit only for students with clear chiropractic, biology-pre-grad, or exercise-science career plans; everyone else faces a thin program lineup and weak overall outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Life University are a real concern. With a net cost of $29,791 per year and the typical graduate earning only $47,397 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 20.9 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 37.9% graduation rate, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,666 against $47,397 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Life University: Common Questions
Is Life University worth it?
In our view, the numbers are a real concern - for most students the financial return does not justify the cost. Life University scores 31/100 on our ROI scale. At $29,791 a year after aid against $47,397 in typical earnings ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 20.9 years.
How much does Life University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $29,791 a year, or roughly $119,164 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Life University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $47,397 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,597 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 Life 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 20.9 years for Life University. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
How much debt do Life University graduates take on?
Median debt at graduation is about $16,666, against $47,397 in typical earnings a decade out. That is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Life University?
The six-year graduation rate is 37.9%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. 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.