Ner Israel Rabbinical College
Baltimore, Maryland · Private Nonprofit · 65.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 66/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Ner Israel Rabbinical College scores 66 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale, though the data here requires careful interpretation. The institution scores 0.80 on data completeness - several key fields are imputed, including debt-to-earnings and repayment rate. The 6.2-year payback period and 92nd-percentile earnings premium subscore are the strongest signals. Median 6-year earnings data is not reported; median 10-year earnings are $66,330 - a strong figure for a low-cost institution. Tuition is $10,600 and net price is $13,572, making this one of the more affordable private institutions in the database. The 23.5% completion rate is very low, but the institutional context matters: Ner Israel is a yeshiva - a Jewish rabbinical seminary - that trains students in full-time Torah study, many of whom continue into advanced rabbinical study or community roles without completing a standard bachelor's degree credential. The single tracked program is Religion/Religious Studies (48 graduates, $73,567 four-year). The payback period and earnings premium reflect the 10-year earnings of graduates who do complete credentials and enter religious, educational, and communal professional roles. This institution serves a specific religious community with career pathways that differ substantially from conventional higher education markets.
The data raises concerns about Ner Israel Rabbinical College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- 6-year graduation rate23.5% - Well below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022). Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
Ner Israel Rabbinical College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,600/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $10,600/yr |
| Average net price | $13,572/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $54,288 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $66,330 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $0 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 23.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 280 |
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: $10,600/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $13,572/year, or roughly $54,288 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 N/A/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,150/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing N/A in federal loans, which works out to about $0 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $66,330 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to N/A, which we can't fully judge without more data.
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 | N/A |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,626 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,018 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,550 |
| $110,001+ | $20,150 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The lowest income bracket ($0-30,000) shows no net price data in the Scorecard. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $12,626 per year and the 48001-75000 bracket pays $13,018 - both below the $13,572 average net price, suggesting moderate need-based aid. At these costs, the institution is genuinely affordable for middle-income Orthodox Jewish families. The 10-year earnings of $66,330 represent a reasonable long-run outcome for students pursuing religious professional careers.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $13,018 (48001-75000) and $10,550 (75001-110000) per year - the upper-middle bracket is actually lower than the lower-middle bracket, suggesting the aid formula has an unusual step structure here. Total 4-year costs between $42,000 and $52,000 are low for a private institution. For families in the Orthodox community who are committed to this path, the cost is not a primary enrollment barrier.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $20,150 per year - the highest net price bracket at approximately $80,600 over four years. This is still lower than most private college net prices. For higher-income Orthodox families, the cost is manageable within the context of a religious educational commitment. The 10-year earnings of $66,330 represent a reasonable return for professional careers in Jewish communal life, which are the primary employment paths for this institution's graduates.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Ner Israel Rabbinical College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Religion/Religious Studies | $73,567 | - |
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.
Religion/Religious Studies
48 graduates, $73,567 four-year earnings, with no year-one or debt data reported. The $73,567 four-year figure - likely capturing graduates in their late 20s or early 30s who have completed rabbinical training and entered communal or educational roles - is higher than the national median for religion graduates from conventional institutions. This reflects the specific career pathways of yeshiva graduates: synagogue rabbis, Jewish day school educators, Jewish communal organization leaders, and religious organizational administrators earn in the $60,000-$100,000 range in many metropolitan communities.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Ner Israel Rabbinical College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 65.7% |
| Enrollment | 280 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 16.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,711 |
Ner Israel's 65.7% admission rate reflects a meaningful but not highly competitive screening process. The institution selects students for Jewish learning commitment and aptitude rather than standard academic metrics. No SAT or ACT data is reported. The 23.5% completion rate, in context, reflects students who leave the yeshiva for other Torah institutions, marriage, or community roles rather than students who fail out. Prospective students are almost entirely from the Orthodox Jewish community and are making a religious formation choice, not a conventional higher education enrollment decision.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Ner Israel's Scorecard peers are not meaningfully comparable - the algorithm groups it with Capitol Technology, Washington Adventist, Logan, and Aultman College of Nursing, which are dissimilar institutions by mission and student population. The most relevant peer institutions are other Orthodox yeshivot: Yeshiva University, Beth Medrash Govoha (Lakewood), and Torah Vodaath. Among that group, Ner Israel is a mid-tier institution by size, known for its Baltimore location and academic-religious balance. The Scorecard ROI framework does not map cleanly onto yeshiva education, and consumers should weight the institutional fit and religious formation dimensions more heavily than the financial metrics here.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ner Israel Rabbinical College (this school) | 66 | $13,572 | $66,330 |
| Capitol Technology University | 79 | $22,102 | $85,035 |
| Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 66 | $24,204 | $63,582 |
| Southern California Institute of Architecture | 65 | $43,923 | $71,909 |
| Washington Adventist University | 55 | $18,526 | $64,249 |
| Logan University | 53 | $20,218 | $55,838 |
Who Thrives Here
Ner Israel admits 65.7% of applicants. Enrollment is 280 - a very small, specialized religious institution in Baltimore. The 16.1% Pell rate indicates that most students are not from lower-income households, which is consistent with the Orthodox Jewish community served. No test score data is reported. The institution is designed for students committed to intensive Jewish learning within a Torah-centered environment. Students who enroll are not pursuing conventional undergraduate degrees in the traditional sense; they are entering a years-long program of religious study. Career outcomes primarily reflect rabbinic, educational, and communal leadership roles.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Ner Israel Rabbinical College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $13,572 a year after aid ($54,288 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $66,330 a decade out, the cost takes about 6.2 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 23.5% graduation rate.
Ner Israel Rabbinical College: Common Questions
Is Ner Israel Rabbinical College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Ner Israel Rabbinical College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 66/100 on our ROI scale. At $13,572 a year after aid ($54,288 over four years) against $66,330 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 6.2 years to earn back - roughly average.
How much does Ner Israel Rabbinical College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $13,572 a year, or roughly $54,288 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Ner Israel Rabbinical College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $66,330 ten years after enrolling, roughly $24,530 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 Ner Israel Rabbinical College?
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 6.2 years for Ner Israel Rabbinical College. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
What is the graduation rate at Ner Israel Rabbinical College?
The six-year graduation rate is 23.5%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. 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.