North Greenville University
Tigerville, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 66.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
North Greenville University, a Baptist private nonprofit in upstate South Carolina, scores 25 out of 100, landing in the Below Benchmark tier. The 27.9-year payback period is a concern, alongside a 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio that pushes most graduates near the income-driven repayment threshold. Tuition is $25,800 (uniform for in-state and out-of-state), with net price discounted to $21,063 and a four-year total of $84,252. Average earnings 6 years after entry are just $27,800, climbing to a median $43,035 by year 10 - that low six-year number reflects NGU's heavy mix of education, ministry, and human services majors that pay structurally low entry-level salaries. The bright spots: a 54.5% completion rate (above the Below Benchmark tier average) and a 73.9% three-year repayment rate. Median federal debt is $23,082. The Teacher Education-Subject-Specific program is a B grade outlier in an otherwise C/D portfolio.
How North Greenville 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 Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period27.9 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
North Greenville University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $25,800/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,800/yr |
| Average net price | $21,063/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $84,252 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,035 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,082 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $245 |
| Estimated payback period | 27.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 54.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,819 |
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: $25,800/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,063/year, or roughly $84,252 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 $18,947/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,550/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,082, which works out to about $245 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($27,800) and comes to 0.83, 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 | $18,947 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,988 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,704 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,433 |
| $110,001+ | $24,550 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay $18,947 net price. With $43,035 in 10-year median earnings and $23,082 in median debt, the math is challenging. Pell and South Carolina state grants help but do not bring the price under $19,000, and NGU's low-paying ministry and education tracks compress the post-graduation income.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $16,988 - the cheapest tier here, an inverted bracket where lower-middle-income families pay less than the $0-$30,000 bracket. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $20,704. The $48,001-$75,000 jump is steep.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $20,433 (slightly less than the $48,001-$75,000 bracket - another minor inversion) and $110,001+ pays $24,550. The aid model has clear bracket inversions at both the $0-$30,000 to $30,001-$48,000 transition and the $48,001-$75,000 to $75,001-$110,000 transition. Full-pay families pay near sticker; merit scholarships drive most of the discount.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at North Greenville University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $52,707 | C |
| Teacher Education | $40,804 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $39,535 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $45,918 | B |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $26,681 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,748 | F |
| Psychology | $34,044 | C |
| Marketing | $48,859 | D |
| Journalism | $46,502 | - |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | $32,569 | 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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Forty-five graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $41,041 climb to $52,707 by year four against $24,343 median debt and a 0.593 ratio. Graduates likely place into upstate South Carolina manufacturing, banking, and Christian-affiliated nonprofit roles. Workable ROI for students who finish.
Teacher Education
Forty-two graduates earn a C grade. First-year earnings of $39,562 are flat at $40,804 by year four, reflecting standard teacher salary schedules. Median debt of $26,000 produces a 0.657 ratio. Teaching at the South Carolina pay scale is a structurally tight financial path; TEACH grants and Title I forgiveness can help.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Thirty-three graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of $29,506 climb to $39,535 by year four against $25,500 median debt and a 0.864 ratio. Liberal arts here comes at a $21,000 net price. NGU's mission-driven students may accept lower earnings, but the cost-benefit math is steep.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Twenty-three graduates earn a B grade - the strongest in the portfolio. First-year earnings of $43,644 are flat at $45,918 by year four (typical teacher progression). Median debt of $19,271 is below the school average and produces a 0.442 ratio. The lower debt here likely reflects subject-specific teaching scholarships and TEACH grant eligibility. Genuinely workable ROI for committed K-12 teachers.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Twenty graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of just $26,681 against $20,202 median debt produce a 0.757 ratio. The low first-year number suggests many graduates use this credential as a bridge to graduate health programs (PA, OT, PT) or are working in lower-paying roles like medical assistant adjacencies. Without a clear graduate plan, this credential underperforms.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 73.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How North Greenville 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 | 66.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-28 |
| Enrollment | 1,819 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,276 |
NGU admits 66.7% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 520-610 math and 540-630 reading and ACT 20-28. The wide ACT range (20-28) signals notable variation in academic readiness. The 54.5% completion rate is consistent with the admit profile - well-prepared students mostly finish, while marginal admits are more likely to leave. Test-score scholarships are a meaningful part of the discount model.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Greenville University (this school) | 25 | $21,063 | $43,035 |
| Lee University | 27 | $18,878 | $43,222 |
| Campbellsville University | 25 | $19,341 | $41,583 |
| Missouri Baptist University | 25 | $27,006 | $46,660 |
| Charleston Southern University | 24 | $21,666 | $45,898 |
| Truett McConnell University | 23 | $22,227 | $46,700 |
Who Thrives Here
NGU enrolls 1,819 students with a 33.4% Pell rate, drawing primarily from Southern Baptist families across the Southeast. The fit is clearest for students pursuing ministry, missions, K-12 teaching (especially Christian school placements), or a faith-integrated business or psychology track. Students whose career goals align with the religious mission and who value the small-college culture get real non-financial returns here.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, North Greenville University scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $21,063 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,035 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 27.9 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, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,082 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83. 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.
North Greenville University: Common Questions
Is North Greenville University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. North Greenville University scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $21,063 a year after aid against $43,035 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 27.9 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does North Greenville 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 $21,063 a year, or roughly $84,252 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 North Greenville University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,035 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,235 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 North Greenville 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 27.9 years for North Greenville University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do North Greenville University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,082, against average earnings of $27,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83. 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 North Greenville University?
The six-year graduation rate is 54.5%. 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.