Linfield University
McMinnville, Oregon · Private Nonprofit · 85.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 84/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Linfield University (McMinnville, OR) scores 84 (Strong Value) with a 5.6-year payback period and $52,100 average 6-year earnings. The completion rate of 70.5% is serviceable. Net price of $26,536 brings the four-year cost to roughly $106,000, and median debt runs $25,000 - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 that reflects moderate but manageable borrowing. Registered Nursing is by far the strongest program and the primary driver of the school's ROI score; outcomes in most other programs are weak relative to the net cost.
Linfield University scores in the top 10% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Linfield University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $50,850/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $50,850/yr |
| Average net price | $26,536/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $106,144 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $78,638 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $52,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 70.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,621 |
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: $50,850/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $26,536/year, or roughly $106,144 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 $20,059/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,519/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($52,100) and comes to 0.48, which in our view is 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 | $20,059 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,664 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,806 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,070 |
| $110,001+ | $32,519 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $20,059 net price per year at Linfield - roughly $80,000 over four years. For nursing-bound students, the strong career outcomes make this manageable.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $22,806 and the $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $26,070 - both represent significant annual outlays against $52,100 average 6-year earnings. Middle-income families in these brackets should pressure-test program choice carefully: nursing makes the math work; most other programs do not at these price points.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $32,519 per year - about $130,000 over four years at net price. Against a 5.6-year payback period and $52,100 average earnings, this is viable for nursing graduates but leaves little financial margin in lower-earning programs.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Linfield University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $109,374 | B+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $58,347 | D |
| Teacher Education | $52,429 | C |
| Psychology | $53,493 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $77,983 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $54,091 | D |
| Biology | $49,714 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $67,946 | C |
| Accounting | $78,683 | C+ |
| Marketing | $66,731 | C |
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 Linfield's standout program with 291 graduates - by far the largest program at the school. Median year-one earnings hit $95,604, rising to $109,374 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.324 earns a B+ ROI grade, reflecting a manageable $31,000 median debt against strong healthcare wages. Oregon's nursing labor market is robust, and Linfield's program appears to place graduates into it effectively. This single program justifies much of the school's 84 ROI score.
Accounting
Accounting graduates (11 students) earn $58,914 at year one and $78,683 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.475 (ROI grade C+). These outcomes are acceptable for accounting, and the small cohort size limits the reliability of the data.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (18 graduates) earns $43,512 at year one but shows a promising jump to $77,983 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.621 earns a C grade. The four-year trajectory is better than initial earnings suggest, but the C-grade ROI remains a concern for cost-conscious students.
Psychology
Psychology (20 graduates) earns $34,628 at year one and $53,493 at year four, with a 0.78 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Year-one earnings of $34,628 reflect the reality that psychology undergraduates typically need graduate education to reach higher-earning roles - that cost is not captured here. Students expecting this degree to produce strong near-term earnings without further schooling should reconsider.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication (15 graduates) earns $30,860 at year one and $54,091 at year four against $27,000 median debt, producing a 0.875 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. These outcomes at Linfield's net price represent poor financial value. Students drawn to media careers should examine whether the Linfield price tag is justified over less expensive paths to the same outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 87.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 87.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Linfield 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 | 85.2% |
| Enrollment | 1,621 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,672 |
At 85.2% acceptance, Linfield is effectively open-admission. No test score data is reported in the Scorecard, consistent with a test-optional or test-free policy. Selectivity is not the barrier here - cost and program fit are the primary decision variables.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Its completion rate is 70.5% and its debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.48.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linfield University (this school) | 84 | $26,536 | $78,638 |
| Saint Johns University | 83 | $25,672 | $76,786 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | 81 | $30,378 | $78,812 |
| Immaculata University | 79 | $24,258 | $75,701 |
| George Fox University | 57 | $31,679 | $59,761 |
| New Hope Christian College-Eugene | 22 | $21,600 | $31,115 |
Who Thrives Here
Linfield admits 85% of applicants and does not publish test score ranges, signaling a broadly accessible admissions process. Students committed to nursing should look seriously at Linfield - that program produces strong outcomes. Students considering business, communications, or liberal arts should weigh the $26,000+ net cost against programs that produce C-grade or D-grade ROI outcomes.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Linfield University pays off. You'd pay about $26,536 a year after aid ($106,144 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $78,638 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.6 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 70.5% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $52,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Linfield University: Common Questions
Is Linfield University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Linfield University pays off. It scores 84/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $26,536 a year after aid ($106,144 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $78,638 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.6 years to earn back.
How much does Linfield 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 $26,536 a year, or roughly $106,144 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 Linfield University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $78,638 ten years after enrolling, roughly $36,838 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 Linfield 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 5.6 years for Linfield University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Linfield University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $52,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Linfield University?
The six-year graduation rate is 70.5%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.