Methodist University
Fayetteville, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 75.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 26/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Methodist University scores 26 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The financial case here is difficult: $41,250 sticker tuition, $24,704 net price, $27,000 median debt, and $32,800 average six-year earnings. The 18.3-year payback period means the typical graduate spends nearly two decades recovering the cost of attendance. Fewer than half of enrolled students graduate (43.5% completion rate). The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.823 means graduates owe 82 cents for every dollar they earn annually - a heavy burden at $32,800 average earnings. Kinesiology and Exercise Science, the second-largest reported program at 39 graduates, carries an F ROI grade with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.066, meaning graduates owe more than a full year of earnings in debt. Registered Nursing (15 graduates, B grade, $70,746 year-one) is the only program with a credible financial outcome. Business Administration (53 graduates, C grade) earns $47,235 year-one with a 0.572 debt-to-earnings ratio. Criminal Justice and Fire Protection both earn D grades.
How Methodist 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 Score26/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Methodist University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,250/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,250/yr |
| Average net price | $24,704/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $98,816 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,050 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,448 |
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: $41,250/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,704/year, or roughly $98,816 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 $20,371/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,453/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 ($32,800) and comes to 0.82, 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 | $20,371 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,073 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,328 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,698 |
| $110,001+ | $30,453 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $20,371 per year at Methodist - a heavy figure for a family in this bracket. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $23,073 - higher, which is unusual and reflects limitations in Methodist's aid formula for near-low-income families. At these net price levels, low-income students face four-year costs of $81,000-$92,000. Given $32,800 average six-year earnings and an 18.3-year payback period, the financial risk for low-income students at Methodist is very high, particularly outside the nursing program.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $21,328 per year and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $27,698 - a $6,000 increase that is unusually steep. Against average earnings of $32,800 at six years, the investment does not pencil out at the institutional average. Specific program outcomes matter: Business graduates who reach $63,424 at year four have higher earnings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001 and above pay $30,453 per year at Methodist - a four-year cost of roughly $122,000. At this price, the 18.3-year payback period is even more troubling. Higher-income families should have strong reasons - geographic, program-specific, or mission-related - before choosing Methodist at near-sticker pricing. The nursing program's B-grade ROI is the only program outcome that would support a full-price enrollment decision.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Methodist University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $63,424 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,457 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $53,072 | D |
| Fire Protection | $53,649 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $83,653 | B |
| Accounting | $65,090 | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $58,849 | - |
| Biology | $50,810 | 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
Registered Nursing is the only program at Methodist with a positive ROI grade: 15 graduates, $70,746 year-one, $83,653 at year four, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.382 (B grade). Median debt of $27,000 is the same as most other programs here, but nurses earn more than twice the six-year institutional average of $32,800. This program's graduate volume is small - 15 per year - and students considering Methodist specifically for nursing should verify program capacity and clinical placement availability.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Methodist's largest program at 53 graduates. Year-one earnings of $47,235 and four-year earnings of $63,424 earn a C grade, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.572. These are adequate numbers in isolation, but at a $24,704 net annual price and $27,000 median debt, the payback period extends uncomfortably. Students choosing Business at Methodist need a specific plan for leveraging the Fayetteville regional economy or a post-graduation career pivot to justify the cost.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology and Exercise Science is the second-largest reported program at 39 graduates and earns an F ROI grade: $28,270 year-one, $45,457 at year four, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.066. Graduates owe more than a year of earnings at six years. Median debt of $30,124 against $28,270 year-one earnings means monthly debt payments consume a substantial share of entry-level income. Students considering this major should have a graduate school plan or alternative career strategy - the undergraduate degree alone does not generate sufficient earnings to service the debt at Methodist's price point.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 69.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 54.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Methodist 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 | 75.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-27 |
| Enrollment | 1,448 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,728 |
At 75.1%, Methodist is selective enough to filter some applicants but broadly accessible. The ACT 22-27 composite range is meaningful - students below 22 composite may struggle with academic rigor. The more pressing concern is financial: with an 18.3-year payback period and $27,000 median debt, the admission question is less about getting in and more about whether the investment is warranted given program-specific earning outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Methodist University (ROI 26) sits in the Below Benchmark tier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methodist University (this school) | 26 | $24,704 | $48,050 |
| Indiana Institute of Technology | 26 | $23,206 | $47,327 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | 23 | $15,070 | $41,129 |
Who Thrives Here
Methodist University admits 75.1% of applicants. Enrollment is 1,448 undergraduates in Fayetteville, NC, with 41.3% receiving Pell grants. The proximity to Fort Bragg creates a notable military-connected and veteran student population. Students drawn to public safety, criminal justice, and kinesiology programs should carefully evaluate the D and F ROI grades in those fields before taking on $27,000 median debt at a $24,704 net annual price.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Methodist University scores 26/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $24,704 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,050 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.3 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 43.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82. 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.
Methodist University: Common Questions
Is Methodist University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Methodist University scores 26/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $24,704 a year after aid against $48,050 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Methodist 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 $24,704 a year, or roughly $98,816 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 Methodist University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,050 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,250 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 Methodist 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 18.3 years for Methodist University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Methodist University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $32,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82. 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 Methodist University?
The six-year graduation rate is 43.5%. 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.