McMurry University
Abilene, Texas · Private Nonprofit · 57.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
McMurry University earns the Below Benchmark tier with an ROI score of 31 out of 100. The Abilene, Texas United Methodist liberal arts university posts a sticker tuition of $32,340 with a $19,581 net price after aid, putting four-year cost-of-attendance at $78,324. Average 6-year earnings of $36,200 climb to a median $48,779 by year 10, with a 15.8-year payback period and a 0.746 debt-to-earnings ratio against $27,000 median debt. The 65.9% three-year repayment rate is mediocre. McMurry's reported program data shows the school's strengths in teacher education and business administration tracks, with C and C-grade outcomes that are workable but not strong.
How McMurry 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 Score31/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period15.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
McMurry University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,340/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,340/yr |
| Average net price | $19,581/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $78,324 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,779 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 44.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,176 |
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: $32,340/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,581/year, or roughly $78,324 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 $15,946/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,297/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,200) and comes to 0.75, 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 | $15,946 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,181 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,272 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,285 |
| $110,001+ | $27,297 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30K pay $15,946 net annually, with $30,001-48,000 households paying slightly more at $16,181. Four-year cost of $64K-$65K against $36,200 expected earnings is challenging but workable for teacher education completers.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $18,272 to $23,285 net annually, putting four-year costs at $73K-$93K. The math holds up for business and teacher education completers earning $43K-$47K, but the institutional 44.3% completion rate is the structural risk for this bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $27,297 net annually, or $109K over four years. The financial case requires either Methodist family ties or specific program preference (athletics, smaller-school environment) to justify.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at McMurry University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $47,035 | C |
| Business Administration and Management | $55,605 | D |
| Teacher Education | $42,638 | C |
| Sociology | $41,749 | - |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $44,668 | - |
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.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Teacher Education (subject-specific, e.g., math, science, English certifications) has 19 graduates per year. First-year median earnings of $47,240 are essentially flat to $47,035 by year four, against $28,901 median debt for a 0.612 debt-to-earnings ratio and C ROI grade. The flat earnings progression reflects Texas public-school salary schedules where advancement is gradual. PSLF eligibility for public-school employment is critical for managing the debt.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration has 19 graduates per year with first-year median earnings of $43,340 climbing to $55,605 by year four. With $32,321 median debt the 0.746 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. Year-four earnings are workable but the early-career picture is tight.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (general) has 15 graduates per year. First-year earnings of $42,900 are flat to $42,638 by year four, with $29,750 median debt for a 0.693 debt-to-earnings ratio and C ROI grade. Texas public-school teacher compensation caps upside; the relatively manageable debt and PSLF eligibility make this a defensible pathway for committed future teachers.
Sociology
Sociology has 7 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $32,956 climbing to $41,749 by year four. Median debt and ROI grade are not reported. Without the debt picture it's hard to fully assess, but the modest earnings progression suggests this is a graduate-school feeder rather than a direct-to-career track for most graduates.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How McMurry 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 | 57.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 460-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,176 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 23.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,497 |
McMurry admits 57.0% of applicants, classifying as moderately selective. The middle 50% SAT range is 460-570 in math and 490-590 in reading, with an ACT range of 18-24. Those test ranges are modest and reflect a regional Texas applicant pool.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| McMurry University (this school) | 31 | $19,581 | $48,779 |
| Abilene Christian University | 51 | $26,182 | $55,736 |
| Averett University | 37 | $22,925 | $51,516 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| William Penn University | 31 | $22,601 | $48,936 |
| Arlington Baptist University | 14 | $24,906 | $44,644 |
Who Thrives Here
McMurry fits West Texas students drawn to the Methodist liberal arts mission and small-school environment, with 1,176 enrolled and a 23.8% Pell rate. Best fit for committed teacher education or business administration students who can complete the degree; weaker fit for undecided students given the 44.3% completion rate. The school's denominational community and athletic programs are real differentiators for the right student. Texas-affiliated United Methodist Church scholarships can substantially improve the cost picture for students from sponsoring congregations.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, McMurry University scores 31/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $19,581 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,779 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.8 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 44.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. 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.
McMurry University: Common Questions
Is McMurry University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. McMurry University scores 31/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $19,581 a year after aid against $48,779 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does McMurry 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 $19,581 a year, or roughly $78,324 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 McMurry University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,779 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,979 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 McMurry 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 15.8 years for McMurry University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do McMurry University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $36,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. 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 McMurry University?
The six-year graduation rate is 44.3%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.