Lincoln University
Jefferson City, Missouri · Public
ROI Score: 10/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lincoln University, an HBCU public in Jefferson City, Missouri, scores 10 out of 100 on the CampusROI metric, landing in the Below Benchmark tier. The drivers are stark: a 20.9% completion rate, $27,000 average earnings six years after entry rising to a median of only $39,463 by year ten, a 48.5-year payback period, and a 1.069 debt-to-earnings ratio that means borrowers leave owing more than a year of gross pay. In-state tuition is reasonable at $9,796 (out-of-state $17,692), but the net price climbs to $19,092 because grant aid does not close the gap on room, board, and fees. Median federal debt is $28,875, with only 59% of borrowers reducing principal three years out. Notably, the Registered Nursing program (B grade, 22 graduates) is a genuine bright spot inside an otherwise weak overall portfolio.
How Lincoln 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 Score10/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.07 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate20.8% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period48.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Lincoln University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,796/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,692/yr |
| Average net price | $19,092/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $76,368 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $39,463 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,875 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $306 |
| Estimated payback period | 48.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 20.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,392 |
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: $9,796/year ($17,692/year out-of-state), 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 $19,092/year, or roughly $76,368 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 $20,070/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,984/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $28,875, which works out to about $306 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($27,000) and comes to 1.07, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least 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 | $20,070 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,313 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,287 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,466 |
| $110,001+ | $19,984 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a $20,070 net price, the highest of any income bracket reported here. That is an inverted bracket: the lowest-income students pay $5,604 more per year than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket. Pell and state grants are not closing the gap. With $39,463 in 10-year earnings and $28,875 in median debt, low-income students are bearing the highest real cost for the weakest expected payoff.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $19,313 and $48,001-$75,000 pays $18,287, both nearly identical to the lowest bracket. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket drops to $14,466, the cheapest tier, suggesting a merit-aid pattern rather than need-based pricing. Middle-income families in the upper-middle bracket get the best deal here, which is unusual and worth flagging as the inverted bracket structure.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The highest-income bracket pays $19,984 per year, and this U-shaped distribution where mid-bracket families pay least is unusual and suggests the institutional aid model rewards specific GPA/test-score profiles rather than family income.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Lincoln University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $48,276 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $79,520 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $48,315 | F |
| Psychology | $45,868 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $40,887 | F |
| Teacher Education | $36,835 | D |
| Biology | $35,467 | D |
| Social Work | $32,951 | D |
| Journalism | $26,356 | F |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $26,760 | F |
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
The standout program at Lincoln. Twenty-two graduates earn a B grade with $66,592 first-year earnings climbing to $79,520 by year four, against $28,500 in median debt and a 0.428 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is genuine ROI: nursing licensure is portable, demand is structural, and the debt is manageable on day-one earnings. For students confident they can complete the rigorous nursing curriculum, this single program is reason enough to consider Lincoln.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Thirty graduates earn a D grade with $39,331 first-year earnings and $48,276 by year four. Median debt of $36,636 produces a 0.931 debt-to-earnings ratio, putting most borrowers near the income-driven repayment threshold.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Twenty graduates earn an F grade. First-year earnings of $32,331 climb to $48,315 by year four, but $37,171 in median debt against the early earnings produces a 1.15 debt-to-earnings ratio. Missouri law enforcement and corrections roles do reward the four-year credential over time, but the debt load is steep relative to the entry-level salary band.
Psychology
Sixteen graduates earn a C grade. Four-year earnings of $45,868 against $31,000 in median debt produce a 0.676 ratio, which is workable. As with many psychology programs, terminal-bachelor's earnings tend to underperform; students planning to stop at the bachelor's should pair the major with applied skills (research methods, clinical experience) to land into HR, social services, or research-coordinator roles.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Thirteen graduates earn an F grade with the worst ratio in the portfolio. First-year earnings of $21,282 against $43,382 in median debt produce a 2.038 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning borrowers owe more than two years of gross income. This is the canonical low-completion, high-debt liberal arts outcome at an under-resourced regional, and a clear flag for any student considering this path here.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 48.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 59.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 37.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 42.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lincoln 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
| Enrollment | 1,392 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,626 |
Lincoln University does not report an admission rate, SAT, or ACT range in current Scorecard data, so selectivity cannot be quantified here. Lincoln is functionally an open-access regional public; the binding question for prospective students is fit and persistence, not admission. The 20.9% completion rate signals that academic preparation, financial pressure, and life circumstances combine to push most entering students out before a credential, so dual-enrollment, summer bridge, and clear major-choice planning matter more than test scores.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln University (this school) | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 10 | $12,653 | $35,550 |
| Philander Smith University | 10 | $14,224 | $38,427 |
| Savannah State University | 10 | $8,172 | $37,981 |
| Texas Southern University | 10 | $16,590 | $38,924 |
Who Thrives Here
Lincoln serves 1,392 students with a 48.7% Pell rate, drawing primarily from Missouri, Illinois, and the broader Midwest. Students who specifically want an HBCU experience in central Missouri, who are pursuing the Nursing program (the one program with B-grade ROI here), or who have a clear in-state employment plan in Jefferson City government can find real value.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Lincoln University scores 10/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $19,092 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $39,463 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 48.5 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 20.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.07 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 59.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $28,875 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.07. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Lincoln University: Common Questions
Is Lincoln University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Lincoln University scores 10/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $19,092 a year after aid against $39,463 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 48.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Lincoln 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 $19,092 a year, or roughly $76,368 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 Lincoln University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $39,463 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 Lincoln 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 48.5 years for Lincoln University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Lincoln University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $28,875, against average earnings of $27,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.07. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Lincoln University?
The six-year graduation rate is 20.8%. 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.