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 60% national average. 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 (2009-2023).
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.
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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.