Newberry College
Newberry, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 89.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 26/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Newberry College scores 26 (Below Benchmark) on CampusROI. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.815 means median debt ($26,805) is 81.5% of annual earnings, well above the threshold for financial strain. The 45.1% six-year completion rate means fewer than half of enrolled students earn a degree - the single largest financial risk for any prospective student. The three-year repayment rate of 66.0% is low; 34% of borrowers are not reducing principal at three years post-enrollment. Net price of $21,656 is substantially below the $31,100 sticker - Newberry does apply grant aid - but even at net price the return metrics are weak. The 48.7% Pell rate indicates nearly half the student body comes from lower-income families who face the greatest harm from non-completion and high debt-to-earnings. Newberry admits 89.8% of applicants; Scorecard does not report test score ranges. At 1,479 students it is a small Lutheran-affiliated college. Program-level data shows extreme internal variation: Nursing (15 graduates, B) produces strong year-one earnings of $72,756 while Kinesiology (31 graduates, D) and Psychology (19 graduates, D) produce outcomes that do not service typical debt loads.
How Newberry College 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 period17.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Newberry College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $31,100/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,100/yr |
| Average net price | $21,656/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $86,624 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,040 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,805 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $284 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 45.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,479 |
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: $31,100/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,656/year, or roughly $86,624 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 $19,887/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,578/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,805, which works out to about $284 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,900) and comes to 0.81, 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 | $19,887 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,229 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,786 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,619 |
| $110,001+ | $23,578 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $19,887 per year at Newberry - substantial grant aid from the $31,100 sticker, but still $79,548 over four years. Against $32,900 average earnings and a 17.4-year payback period, and given the 45.1% completion rate, this is a high-risk financial commitment for lower-income families. The 48.7% Pell rate means this is Newberry's most common student income bracket.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - 48,000 bracket receives the best net price: $19,229 per year. The $48,001 - 75,000 bracket pays $21,786 - a modest step up. At these price points, Newberry requires roughly $77,000 - 87,000 over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110,000 pay $23,578 per year - the highest bracket, but still $7,522 below sticker, suggesting formula-based aid applies at all income levels. Four-year cost is $94,000. For higher-income families, the decision should be driven by the specific program: Nursing has acceptable ROI.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Newberry College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $38,192 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $54,747 | D |
| Psychology | $41,585 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $72,303 | B |
| Teacher Education | $42,108 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $46,620 | - |
| Biology | $60,460 | 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
Nursing is Newberry's strongest program by a wide margin: 15 graduates, B-grade, $72,756 year-one earnings, $72,303 at year four, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.371 - well below the institutional average of 0.815. Median debt of $27,000 is manageable relative to nursing wages. The small cohort (15 graduates) limits statistical reliability, but the directional signal is clear: Nursing at Newberry produces outcomes that are meaningfully better than the institution's overall profile. This is the strongest case for enrolling at Newberry, for students who can gain admission to the program.
Business Administration
Business Administration is Newberry's largest reported program at 28 graduates and earns a D-grade with a DTR of 0.707. Year-one earnings of $36,773 are modest; year-four earnings of $54,747 show a meaningful trajectory upward. The D grade reflects earnings that barely justify debt at current levels - students in this program should have specific career plans that lead to higher earnings than the graduate median.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is Newberry's second-largest program at 31 graduates and one of its weakest: D-grade, DTR 0.856, year-one earnings of $33,159, year-four earnings of $38,192. Median debt of $28,375 is above the institutional average. The year-four earnings figure ($38,192) indicates limited wage growth for most graduates in this field.
Psychology
Psychology earns a D-grade at Newberry: 19 graduates, DTR 0.745, year-four earnings of $41,585 (year-one not reported). Median debt of $31,000 is the highest of any program in Newberry's Scorecard data. Psychology at a small private college at a $31,100 sticker price consistently produces marginal ROI outcomes nationally. Students intending to pursue graduate school in psychology should model the additional debt load against expected post-graduate earnings.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (general) earns a C-grade at Newberry: 11 graduates, DTR 0.657, year-one earnings of $41,127, year-four of $42,108 - minimal wage growth. Median debt of $27,000 is moderate. Subject-specific Teacher Education (10 graduates) does not have a reported ROI grade due to incomplete data - year-four earnings of $46,620 are slightly higher, but debt data is not available for that cohort.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 56.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Newberry College’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 | 89.8% |
| Enrollment | 1,479 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,467 |
Newberry admits 89.8% of applicants. Scorecard does not report SAT or ACT ranges. The institution is broadly accessible. The 45.1% completion rate is the critical data point: more than half of enrolled students do not finish, which means the majority face debt without the earnings benefit of a degree. Prospective students should ask directly about Newberry's current retention interventions, financial aid renewal policies, and program-specific completion rates before committing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Newberry's Nursing program is too small (15 graduates) to reshape the institutional profile.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newberry College (this school) | 26 | $21,656 | $48,040 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Anderson University | 24 | $23,544 | $42,101 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | 23 | $15,070 | $41,129 |
| Nelson University | 23 | $21,662 | $46,238 |
| Allen University | 3 | $10,972 | $30,497 |
Who Thrives Here
Newberry College admits 89.8% of applicants; Scorecard does not report test score ranges. At 1,479 students, it is a small Lutheran-affiliated college in Newberry, South Carolina. The 48.7% Pell rate reflects substantial lower-income enrollment. Students choosing Newberry for a specific program - particularly Nursing - may find defensible ROI within a weak institutional average. Students choosing Newberry for its general environment, sports programs, or liberal arts experience should model their expected debt load against a 45.1% completion rate and $32,900 average six-year earnings before enrolling.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Newberry College scores 26/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $21,656 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,040 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.4 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 45.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,805 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. 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.
Newberry College: Common Questions
Is Newberry College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Newberry College scores 26/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $21,656 a year after aid against $48,040 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Newberry College 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 $21,656 a year, or roughly $86,624 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 Newberry College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,040 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,240 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 Newberry 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 17.4 years for Newberry College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Newberry College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,805, against average earnings of $32,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. 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 Newberry College?
The six-year graduation rate is 45.1%. 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.