Muskingum University
New Concord, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 81.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Muskingum University scores 39 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. A small private university in New Concord, Ohio with 1,376 undergraduates, Muskingum charges $32,665 sticker tuition and $19,532 net price against $34,400 average 6-year earnings and a 16.2-year payback period. The 56.4% completion rate reflects the challenges of a small rural private university with a student body that has limited access to support. Registered Nursing leads with 30 graduates at $70,347 year-one (ROI grade B). Business Administration (37 graduates, $60,901 four-year, C grade) and Marketing (20 graduates, $60,451 four-year, C grade) are the strongest non-health programs. The 39.1% Pell rate indicates meaningful lower- and middle-income enrollment, making the poor aggregate outcomes especially consequential.
How Muskingum 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 Score39/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Muskingum University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,665/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,665/yr |
| Average net price | $19,532/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $78,128 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,440 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,369 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $269 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 56.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,376 |
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: $32,665/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,532/year, or roughly $78,128 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 $14,684/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,493/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,369, which works out to about $269 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,400) and comes to 0.74, 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 | $14,684 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,479 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,336 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,372 |
| $110,001+ | $23,493 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $14,684 per year - $58,736 over four years. For nursing graduates, $58,736 is recovered in under 11 months of employment. For the majority of Muskingum's programs earning $34,000-$45,000 year-one, recovery from $58,736 takes two to four years.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $16,336 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $21,372 per year. Middle-income families paying $65,000-$85,000 total over four years will feel the 16.2-year aggregate payback acutely in non-nursing, non-business programs. The small campus experience may be worth the premium for some students, but the financial case requires nursing or a well-paying program.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $23,493 per year - $93,972 over four years. Full-pay enrollment in nursing is viable; full-pay enrollment in teacher education, kinesiology, or arts is not.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Muskingum University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,901 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,117 | F |
| Registered Nursing | $78,994 | B |
| Teacher Education | $42,152 | D |
| Biology | $48,917 | D |
| Marketing | $60,451 | C |
| Psychology | $48,001 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $51,445 | D |
| Accounting | $48,949 | - |
| English Language and Literature | $37,439 | D |
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 (30 graduates) earns $70,347 at year one and $78,994 at year four with $27,500 median debt and a 0.391 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B). Nursing is the strongest financial program at Muskingum - year-one earnings of $70,347 against $19,532 annual net price yield a fast payback. Graduates enter the Ohio healthcare market where nursing demand is consistent. The B-grade reflects manageable debt relative to healthcare earnings.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (37 graduates) earns $45,088 at year one and $60,901 at year four with $26,975 median debt and a 0.598 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C). C-grade outcomes at $19,532 net price are average - not poor, but not strong either.
Marketing
Marketing (20 graduates) earns $40,995 at year one and $60,451 at year four with $27,000 median debt and a 0.659 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C). Marketing outcomes are similar to business administration. The C-grade reflects the debt burden relative to modest starting earnings. Four-year progression to $60,451 is competitive with Ohio regional private university marketing programs.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (31 graduates) earns $16,067 at year one with $27,000 median debt and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.680 (ROI grade F). Kinesiology graduates at Muskingum owe more than 1.68 times their annual earnings. Students interested in physical therapy, athletic training, or exercise science should strongly consider whether completing this program at Muskingum's price point leads to a viable financial outcome.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 73.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Muskingum 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 | 81.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-545 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-560 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-22 |
| Enrollment | 1,376 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,587 |
Muskingum admits 81.8% of applicants with ACT 17-22 and SAT 450-545 Math, 460-560 Reading. The admission profile is broad.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskingum University (this school) | 39 | $19,532 | $48,440 |
| Rivier University | 41 | $28,082 | $52,248 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
| Otis College of Art and Design | 36 | $51,248 | $58,152 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Muskingum is a small Presbyterian-affiliated liberal arts university in rural eastern Ohio, about 90 minutes from Columbus. The 81.8% admission rate and ACT 17-22 mid-range indicate a broadly accessible institution. Students who are self-directed and want a small residential campus experience with access to nursing or business programs will find the community tight-knit. The rural setting and modest earnings outcomes mean Muskingum's best-fit students are those for whom the campus community and faith tradition are significant factors alongside program access.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Muskingum University scores 39/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $19,532 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,440 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.2 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 it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,369 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74. 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.
Muskingum University: Common Questions
Is Muskingum University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Muskingum University scores 39/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $19,532 a year after aid against $48,440 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Muskingum 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 $19,532 a year, or roughly $78,128 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 Muskingum University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,440 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,640 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 Muskingum 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 16.2 years for Muskingum University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Muskingum University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,369, against average earnings of $34,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74. 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 Muskingum University?
The six-year graduation rate is 56.4%. 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.