Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 73.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 53/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Nova Southeastern University scores 53 (Below Average Value). The composite is mixed: a 63.3% completion rate and 0.507 debt-to-earnings ratio are healthy, but the earnings premium subscore of 41 and the 61.5% three-year repayment rate hold the composite back. Sticker tuition is $38,700 and the average net price after aid is $30,371, totaling $121,484 over four years. Average earnings six years after entry are $47,800, climbing to a median $59,209 by year ten - reasonable but not exceptional given Nova's cost profile. Median federal debt is $24,250 with a 10.8-year payback period. The school's structural issue is the mix: roughly half its undergraduate cohort sits in Biology, Kinesiology, and Psychology programs that produce low first-year earnings while the other half (Nursing, Allied Health, Physiology) produces strong returns. The aggregate ROI averages these together.
Nova Southeastern University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $38,700/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $38,700/yr |
| Average net price | $30,371/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $121,484 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,209 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $47,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,240 |
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: $38,700/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $30,371/year, or roughly $121,484 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 $26,603/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $35,443/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,250, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($47,800) and comes to 0.51, 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 | $26,603 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $27,048 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $29,953 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,277 |
| $110,001+ | $35,443 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $26,603 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $27,048. Pell and Florida state aid help, but four-year cost of roughly $106,000-$108,000 is heavy against $47,800 in average early-career earnings unless the student lands in Nursing or Allied Health.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $29,953 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $34,277. The cost progression is reasonable and predictable. Middle-income families pursuing pre-health credentials can make the math work.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $35,443 per year, $141,772 over four years. For full-pay families the value proposition rests on Nova's pre-professional pipeline into its own graduate programs. Outside of that pathway, full-pay families overpay relative to outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Nova Southeastern University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $88,004 | B |
| Biology | $57,249 | D |
| Psychology | $50,563 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $55,487 | F |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $83,250 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $66,302 | C |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $45,287 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,851 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $71,972 | - |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $22,098 | - |
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 Nova's largest program by graduates (391) and earns a B ROI grade. First-year earnings of $77,224 climb to $88,004 by year four with $31,000 of median debt for a 0.401 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is the program that pulls the school's earnings average up.
Biology
Biology is the second-largest program (249 grads) but earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of just $23,110 against $21,750 of debt produce a 0.941 ratio. Four-year earnings of $57,249 reflect graduates who continue to professional school. For terminal-bachelor's Biology graduates the financial math is weak.
Psychology
Psychology (92 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings are $24,711, and the 0.931 debt-to-earnings ratio reflects that mismatch. Most graduates need master's or doctoral training to reach competitive earnings.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (64 grads) earns an F ROI grade with a 1.062 debt-to-earnings ratio. First-year earnings of $23,136 against $24,560 of debt is the program-level mismatch. Most graduates continue to PT or OT graduate programs at Nova or elsewhere; the four-year figure of $55,487 partly reflects that pipeline.
Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment
Allied Health Diagnostic (48 grads) earns a B ROI grade. First-year earnings of $74,202 against $32,250 of debt yield a 0.435 ratio.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 52.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 50.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 54.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Nova Southeastern 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 | 73.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-650 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-28 |
| Enrollment | 7,240 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,462 |
Nova accepts 73.2% of applicants. Students arriving with stronger preparation cluster in the pre-health and engineering tracks where outcomes are best. The relatively high admit rate combined with solid completion (63.3%) suggests the institution provides effective support for the students it admits.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Southeastern University (this school) | 53 | $30,371 | $59,209 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global | 61 | $16,898 | $59,986 |
| Wilmington University | 51 | $15,644 | $53,844 |
| High Point University | 50 | $38,707 | $61,389 |
| Barry University | 42 | $22,613 | $55,966 |
| Baptist University of Florida | 31 | $10,372 | $42,836 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 35.8% and enrollment of 7,240 mark Nova as a mid-size, mid-income leaning private. Strongest fit: pre-health students with serious intent to continue to Nova's renowned graduate health programs (medical, dental, optometry, pharmacy). The undergraduate pre-health pipeline directly into Nova's professional schools is the school's clearest value proposition. Students drawn to the Florida sun-and-beach undergrad experience with no clear pre-health intent face weaker outcomes.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Nova Southeastern University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $30,371 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $59,209 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 10.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a three-year loan repayment rate of 61.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $24,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $47,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Nova Southeastern University: Common Questions
Is Nova Southeastern University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Nova Southeastern University scores 53/100 on our ROI scale. At $30,371 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $59,209 ten years after entry, so it takes about 10.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Nova Southeastern 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 $30,371 a year, or roughly $121,484 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 Nova Southeastern University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,209 ten years after enrolling, roughly $17,409 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 Nova Southeastern 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 10.8 years for Nova Southeastern University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Nova Southeastern University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,250, against average earnings of $47,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Nova Southeastern University?
The six-year graduation rate is 63.3%. 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.