Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, Oklahoma · Private Nonprofit · 66.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 51/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Oklahoma Wesleyan University scores 51 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale. The most problematic figure is the completion rate of 34.8% - fewer than 1 in 3 enrolled students graduates. This is the dominant driver of poor outcomes across the institution. Average 6-year earnings of $50,500 reflect only those who completed, which skews the figure upward. The 10.2-year payback period and 0.491 debt-to-earnings ratio would look better with higher completion. The Scorecard reports only four programs with meaningful earnings data: Registered Nursing (24 graduates, $74,090 year-one, $89,006 four-year, ROI grade B), Business General (10 graduates, $57,559 year-one, $86,511 four-year), Business Administration and Management (30 graduates, $54,171 year-one, $60,046 four-year, D-grade, debt-to-earnings 0.754), and Mechanical Engineering (23 graduates, $65,764 year-one, $85,881 four-year, ROI grade B). The average earnings figure of $50,500 is driven by a small set of completers in health and technical fields; it does not represent the full student body.
How Oklahoma Wesleyan 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.
- 6-year graduation rate34.8% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $33,550/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $33,550/yr |
| Average net price | $28,358/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $113,432 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,841 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $50,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,813 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $263 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 673 |
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: $33,550/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $28,358/year, or roughly $113,432 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 $25,011/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $31,238/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,813, which works out to about $263 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($50,500) and comes to 0.49, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $25,011 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,831 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,645 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $30,697 |
| $110,001+ | $31,238 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students in the 0-30000 income bracket pay $25,011 net price per year - approximately $100,000 over four years. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $22,831 - slightly lower. At $25,000 per year for the lowest income bracket at a small private with a 34.8% completion rate, the financial risk for low-income students is severe. A majority of low-income enrollees will not graduate, and those who do not will carry debt averaging $24,813 without the credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $28,645 per year; the 75001-110000 bracket pays $30,697. Aid is modest across the middle-income range, and costs rise steeply. At $30,000+ per year for middle-income families, the 34.8% completion rate and 10.2-year payback period are not consistent with the investment. Nursing or engineering students who are confident they will complete may find an acceptable path.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $31,238 per year - $124,952 all-in. Full-pay families who value the OKWU Wesleyan ethos specifically should factor the completion data heavily into the decision.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Oklahoma Wesleyan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $60,046 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $89,006 | B |
| Business, General | $86,511 | - |
| Political Science and Government | $59,143 | - |
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 has the highest year-one and four-year earnings among OKWU's reported programs: 24 graduates, $74,090 year-one, $89,006 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.426 (ROI grade B). Median debt of $31,589 is elevated but manageable against $74k year-one earnings. Oklahoma's RN market provides consistent demand, and nursing graduates from OKWU access the Tulsa-Bartlesville regional healthcare system. For students committed to nursing in a faith-based Wesleyan environment, this program delivers defensible ROI.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (23 graduates) earns $65,764 year-one and $85,881 four-year - strong outcomes for a small evangelical private. Debt data and debt-to-earnings ratio are not reported for this program by the Scorecard, limiting confidence in the ROI grade. The earnings figures suggest OKWU ME graduates find employment in the northeast Oklahoma manufacturing and oil-and-gas sectors. At a net price of $28,358, the earnings-to-cost ratio is solid if debt is near the $24,813 institutional median.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration has 30 graduates with $54,171 year-one and $60,046 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.754 (ROI grade D). The D grade reflects high debt ($40,831 median - the highest in the program data) against moderate earnings. The $40,831 median debt figure is concerning for a program where four-year earnings plateau at $60,046. Students borrowing near this level will face a challenging repayment trajectory in a regional Oklahoma job market with limited salary upside.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 69.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Oklahoma Wesleyan 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 | 66.2% |
| Enrollment | 673 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 29.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,562 |
At 66.2%, OKWU is moderately accessible. Test score data is not reported by the Scorecard. The completion rate of 34.8% - not the admission rate - is the most important number here. Students who are admitted face poor odds of actually graduating, and students who do not complete will carry debt without the credential.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
OKWU's ROI is 51, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.491.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Wesleyan University (this school) | 51 | $28,358 | $59,841 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Heritage University | 51 | $14,598 | $49,416 |
| Cleary University | 49 | $22,143 | $54,186 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Randall University | 18 | $16,383 | $42,051 |
Who Thrives Here
Oklahoma Wesleyan University admits 66.2% of applicants and enrolls 673 students in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. SAT and ACT score ranges are not reported by the Scorecard. The Pell grant rate of 29.3% indicates moderate economic diversity. OKWU is a Wesleyan Holiness evangelical institution with a distinctive campus culture. Students drawn to this faith tradition who are pursuing nursing or engineering will find a niche fit. The 34.8% completion rate is a severe warning for most prospective students - less than 1 in 3 enrollees graduates, which means the probability of completing the credential is poor regardless of program choice.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Oklahoma Wesleyan University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $28,358 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $59,841 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 10.2 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 it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 34.8% graduation rate.
Median debt of $24,813 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $50,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, 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.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University: Common Questions
Is Oklahoma Wesleyan University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Oklahoma Wesleyan University scores 51/100 on our ROI scale. At $28,358 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $59,841 ten years after entry, so it takes about 10.2 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Oklahoma Wesleyan 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 $28,358 a year, or roughly $113,432 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 Oklahoma Wesleyan University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,841 ten years after enrolling, roughly $18,041 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 Oklahoma Wesleyan 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 10.2 years for Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Oklahoma Wesleyan University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,813, against average earnings of $50,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. 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 Oklahoma Wesleyan University?
The six-year graduation rate is 34.8%. 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.