Mid-America Christian University
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Private Nonprofit · 91.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Mid-America Christian University scores 30 (Below Benchmark) - a very weak result across almost every dimension. The 18.6-year payback period, 44.2% completion rate, and repayment rate of only 55.7% after one year collectively tell a damaging story: most students do not finish, many who borrow struggle to repay, and the average graduate earns $40,300 after six years against a total four-year cost of $66,768. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.655 means graduates owe two-thirds of annual earnings. Only business administration produces earnings above $50,000.
How Mid-America Christian 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 Score30/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Mid-America Christian University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $21,294/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,294/yr |
| Average net price | $16,692/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,768 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,116 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,394 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $280 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 44.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,666 |
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: $21,294/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $16,692/year, or roughly $66,768 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 $14,517/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,590/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,394, which works out to about $280 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,300) 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 | $14,517 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,027 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,646 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,665 |
| $110,001+ | $24,590 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $14,517 net per year - about $58,000 over four years at a 44.2% completion rate school. More than half of enrolled students will not finish. Low-income students who borrow $26,394 median debt and do not graduate face a particularly difficult financial position. The 55.7% one-year repayment rate means nearly half of MACU borrowers are not reducing their principal after one year.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $15,646 net per year. At $40,300 average earnings, the 18.6-year payback is unsustainable for most middle-income families from a financial return perspective. Business administration graduates have a better case; theology and psychology graduates do not.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $24,590 net per year - about $98,000 over four years. At this cost and with $40,300 average earnings, MACU's ROI is poor for high-income families on financial terms. Families who choose MACU for its Christian mission at this price are making a values-based decision, not a financial optimization.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Mid-America Christian University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,866 | C |
| Psychology | $45,276 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $47,781 | D |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $75,041 | D |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $27,391 | F |
| Behavioral Sciences | $44,719 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (69 graduates - MACU's largest program) earns $53,164 at year one and $59,866 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.595 (ROI grade C) and $31,625 median debt. This is MACU's best-performing program and the one with the clearest financial case. Year-one earnings above $50k with a C-grade ROI is the strongest the school offers. The debt load of $31,625 is high, but the earnings cover it with manageable payback.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences (21 graduates) earns $45,047 at year one and $75,041 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.855 (ROI grade D) and $38,496 median debt. The four-year jump to $75k is notable, but the year-one earnings are modest and the debt load is very high at $38,496. Graduates face a difficult first few years managing this debt at $45k starting wages.
Psychology
Psychology (56 graduates) earns $28,695 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.340 (ROI grade F) and $38,458 median debt. Graduates owe 1.34 times their annual salary immediately after graduation. Entry-level psychology wages are low in Oklahoma, and the debt load at MACU is high relative to them.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological and Ministerial Studies (16 graduates) earns $27,391 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.512 (ROI grade F) and $41,422 median debt. Graduates owe 1.5 times annual earnings at graduation. This program should only be pursued by students who have accounted for the financial implications and have a clear vocational commitment that extends beyond financial return.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 55.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 45.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 61.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Mid-America Christian 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 | 91.8% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-19 |
| Enrollment | 1,666 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 52.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,970 |
A 91.8% acceptance rate with ACT 17-19 mid-range indicates MACU is open-access for most applicants. This correlates with the low completion rate. Prospective students should focus on academic support resources and completion data, not admission.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
MACU's ROI is 30.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-America Christian University (this school) | 30 | $16,692 | $46,116 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 51 | $28,358 | $59,841 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | 31 | $28,856 | $52,343 |
| College for Creative Studies | 30 | $34,617 | $44,860 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
Who Thrives Here
MACU admits 91.8% of applicants with ACT mid-range of 17-19 composite. The 52.9% Pell rate indicates a majority low-income student body, which makes the poor completion and repayment data especially concerning. MACU serves students seeking a Christian university experience at a relatively low net price ($16,692). Students who are academically underprepared, lack a strong support network for degree completion, or are choosing programs with F-grade ROI data face a high financial risk of entering adult life with debt and no degree.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Mid-America Christian University scores 30/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,692 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,116 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.6 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 44.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 55.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,394 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,300 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.
Mid-America Christian University: Common Questions
Is Mid-America Christian University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Mid-America Christian University scores 30/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,692 a year after aid against $46,116 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Mid-America Christian 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 $16,692 a year, or roughly $66,768 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 Mid-America Christian University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,116 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,316 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 Mid-America Christian 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 18.6 years for Mid-America Christian University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Mid-America Christian University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,394, against average earnings of $40,300 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 Mid-America Christian University?
The six-year graduation rate is 44.2%. 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.