Malone University
Canton, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 75.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Malone University scores 37 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. Three metrics define the rating: a 45.0% completion rate (more than half of enrolled students do not earn a degree), $39,800 average 6-year earnings, and a 16.1-year payback period. Sticker tuition of $37,160 is discounted to a $20,948 net price, producing an $83,792 four-year cost that graduates struggle to repay against median earnings. Median debt of $26,289 against $39,800 earnings produces a 0.661 debt-to-earnings ratio. The repayment rate of 78.9% at three years is moderate. Nursing (21 graduates) is the bright spot with $67,144 year one and $73,856 at year four - though at a C+-grade ROI, not exceptional even within this program. Business Administration (41 graduates) earns $52,431 year one and $64,881 at four years with a C+-grade ROI. Beyond those two, outcomes deteriorate: Kinesiology (22 graduates) earns $31,005 year one with a D-grade; Biology (5 graduates) earns $22,005 year one with an F-grade. The communication program earns $26,204 year one with an F-grade. Malone is a small evangelical Christian university in Canton, OH, and the Quaker-heritage faith identity shapes the student culture. Students attracted for those reasons may find value in the community that earnings data does not capture - but the financial outcomes are weak across most of the program portfolio.
How Malone 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 Score37/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Malone University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $37,160/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $37,160/yr |
| Average net price | $20,948/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $83,792 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,909 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,289 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $279 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 45.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 798 |
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: $37,160/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,948/year, or roughly $83,792 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 $13,290/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,613/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,289, which works out to about $279 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,800) and comes to 0.66, 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 | $13,290 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,253 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,667 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,502 |
| $110,001+ | $24,613 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $13,290 per year at Malone - the lowest net price tier and a meaningful discount. Over four years that is roughly $53,160. For low-income students who complete nursing or business and graduate, the cost-to-earnings ratio is tight but survivable. The 45% completion rate is the central risk: low-income students who do not complete face debt without a credential, which can be financially damaging for families with limited safety nets.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $17,667 and the 75001-110000 bracket jumps to $24,502. The gap between these two brackets is notable - $6,835 per year. Middle-income families paying $17,000-24,000 per year for a school with $39,800 average earnings and a 45% completion rate should carefully assess whether the faith community and campus culture justify the financial risk. Program selection is critical at these net price levels.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $24,613 per year - roughly $98,450 over four years. Full pay at Malone comes with a 16.1-year payback and $39,800 average earnings.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Malone University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,881 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,256 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $73,856 | C+ |
| Social Work | $46,238 | C |
| Teacher Education | $41,544 | - |
| Marketing | $65,015 | C |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $49,148 | F |
| Biology | $41,515 | F |
| Accounting | $55,458 | - |
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 (21 graduates) is Malone's best outcome: $67,144 year one, $73,856 at four years, C+-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.477, median debt $32,055). The high median debt of $32,055 reflects Malone's net price and borrowing patterns. Year-one earnings of $67,144 are competitive for Canton-area RN employment. Despite the C+ grade, nursing at Malone is the clearest positive return in the program mix. Cohort size of 21 graduates is small, limiting statistical stability.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (41 graduates) earns $52,431 year one and $64,881 at four years - C+-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.533, median debt $27,965). Year-one earnings of $52,431 are solid for northeast Ohio. Students with business intentions who complete the degree have a reasonable earnings trajectory, though the four-year total cost of $83,792 means they are carrying meaningful debt relative to those earnings.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (22 graduates) earns $31,005 year one and $47,256 at four years - D-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.871, median debt $27,000). Year-one earnings in exercise science reflect personal training, fitness management, and physical therapy assistant roles that pay poorly relative to debt. Students who intend to pursue physical therapy (DPT) or athletic training at the graduate level are essentially treating Malone as a pre-professional stepping stone, which adds significant cost and time beyond the undergraduate degree.
Biology
Biology (5 graduates) earns $22,005 year one and $41,515 at four years - F-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 1.227, median debt $27,000). A debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.2 at year one signals severe financial stress. This program's outcomes are poor in absolute terms and relative to debt. The small cohort of 5 graduates limits statistical reliability, but the directional signal is clear. Biology at Malone at $20,948 net price does not produce outcomes that justify the cost by Scorecard data.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Malone 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 | 75.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 460-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 470-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-24 |
| Enrollment | 798 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,917 |
At 75.9%, Malone is moderately accessible. The practical risk is not admission - it is completion. With a 45% four-year graduation rate, students and families need to understand that most enrolled students do not finish a degree at Malone. Those who complete nursing or business have defensible outcomes; those who leave without a degree carry debt with no credential.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malone University (this school) | 37 | $20,948 | $48,909 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Milligan University | 37 | $21,365 | $46,641 |
| McPherson College | 36 | $26,441 | $52,084 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Malone admits 75.9% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 460-590 Math and 470-590 Reading, ACT composite 18-24. Enrollment of 798 is very small. Pell rate of 32.5% reflects significant financial need in the student body. The majority of students are Ohio residents at a faith-affiliated institution. The 45% completion rate is the dominant risk factor - a coin-flip odds that a student who enrolls will graduate. Students considering Malone should have explicit completion plans and realistic assessments of whether the campus environment and faith community are strong enough reasons to enroll at this cost level.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Malone University scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,948 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,909 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.1 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 45.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,289 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. 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.
Malone University: Common Questions
Is Malone University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Malone University scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,948 a year after aid against $48,909 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Malone 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 $20,948 a year, or roughly $83,792 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 Malone University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,909 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,109 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 Malone 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 16.1 years for Malone University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Malone University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,289, against average earnings of $39,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. 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 Malone University?
The six-year graduation rate is 45.0%. 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.