Oral Roberts University
Tulsa, Oklahoma · Private Nonprofit · 98.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 29/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Oral Roberts University, a charismatic Christian university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, scores 29 out of 100 on CampusROI and sits in the Below Benchmark tier. Sticker tuition is $35,470 and the average net price is $25,365, putting four-year total cost at about $101,460. The six-year completion rate of 56.8% is solid for a small private. Average earnings six years out are $33,600 climbing to a median $46,885 by year ten. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.804 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 20.3-year payback period. Repayment progress declines noticeably over time: 75% making progress at year three drops to 70% at year seven, indicating a meaningful share of borrowers move into deferment or restructured plans. The school's bright spots are its nursing and engineering pipelines, both posting B-level ROI grades with strong earnings. The drags are the ministry, theology, and pastoral-counseling programs where graduates earn modestly while borrowing aggressively, producing the F ROI grades that pull down the institutional average. The financial profile is consistent with a school whose mission produces strong outcomes in professional fields and structurally weak outcomes in ministry tracks.
How Oral Roberts 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 Score29/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period20.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Oral Roberts University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,470/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,470/yr |
| Average net price | $25,365/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $101,460 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,885 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 20.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 56.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,487 |
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: $35,470/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,365/year, or roughly $101,460 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 $21,894/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,514/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,600) and comes to 0.80, 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 | $21,894 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,022 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,902 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,269 |
| $110,001+ | $30,514 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $21,894 per year. Four years totals about $87,600 against $46,885 in ten-year median earnings. The math at this bracket is genuinely difficult for ministry-track students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets are remarkably flat: $22,022 ($30,001-$48,000), $22,902 ($48,001-$75,000), then a step up to $27,269 ($75,001-$110,000). The flat low-and-middle bracket pattern suggests institutional aid plateaus quickly, with merit aid driving most of the differentiation rather than need-based discounting. Middle-income families should pressure-test their specific offer.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $30,514 a year, or roughly $122,100 over four years. With ten-year median earnings of $46,885 across all majors, that math only works for full-pay families committed to the school's mission, or for students entering nursing or engineering where program-level earnings clear $79,000 by year four.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Oral Roberts University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $58,754 | D |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $45,360 | F |
| Registered Nursing | $79,547 | B |
| Psychology | $49,447 | D |
| Teacher Education | $44,177 | C |
| Marketing | $65,210 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,214 | D |
| Biology | $29,582 | D |
| Engineering, General | $84,649 | B |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $36,493 | F |
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 the strongest program by ROI, graduating 42 students with $71,417 in first-year earnings climbing to $79,547 by year four against $29,500 in median debt. The 0.413 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B ROI grade. This is one of the most defensible four-year choices on campus.
Engineering, General
Engineering graduates 17 students with $66,805 in first-year earnings rising to $84,649 by year four against $26,917 in median debt. The 0.403 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B ROI grade. Oklahoma's oil-and-gas employer base (along with aerospace at Tinker AFB and adjacent industries) absorbs ORU engineering graduates well. The small cohort means program-level figures are sensitive to year-to-year variation.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest documented program with 63 graduates. First-year earnings of $37,748 rise to $58,754 by year four against $28,137 in median debt. The 0.745 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. The four-year earnings figure is respectable for Tulsa but the first-year ramp is slow, and the debt load is on the higher end. Students should aggressively pursue Tulsa and Dallas-area internships to accelerate placement.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological Studies graduates 51 students, one of the larger programs by volume, with $27,088 in first-year earnings rising to $45,360 by year four against $30,750 in median debt. The 1.135 debt-to-earnings ratio earns an F ROI grade. The financial math is structurally weak by design: graduates predominantly enter ministry, missions, and church staff roles where wages are intentionally modest. Students passionate about this calling should minimize borrowing through home-church support, denominational scholarships, and savings.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 34 students with $29,474 in first-year earnings rising to $49,447 by year four against $27,000 in median debt. The 0.916 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. As at most schools, bachelor's psychology pays back only through funded graduate work in counseling, social work, or applied psychology. ORU's pre-counseling track is reasonable preparation for those graduate paths, but students should commit to the next step before enrolling.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Oral Roberts 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 | 98.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580-660 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-28 |
| Enrollment | 3,487 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,834 |
Oral Roberts admits 98.9% of applicants, effectively open admission. SAT mid-ranges are 540-650 Math and 580-660 Reading, with ACT Composite of 22-28. The 98.9% admit rate paired with a 56.8% completion rate is actually a relatively favorable spread: the school admits broadly.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Roberts University (this school) | 29 | $25,365 | $46,885 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 51 | $28,358 | $59,841 |
| Davenport University | 28 | $17,707 | $45,099 |
| Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico | 27 | $17,540 | $47,540 |
| Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies | 24 | $20,473 | $47,327 |
Who Thrives Here
ORU enrolls 3,487 students with a Pell rate of 28.4%, drawing nationally from charismatic Christian families and internationally as well. The right fit is a student deeply aligned with the school's Pentecostal/charismatic mission who is targeting nursing, engineering, marketing, or pre-med, and who can secure substantial institutional merit aid. Students pursuing ministry or theological studies should plan for low post-graduate earnings consistent with mission work and minimize borrowing.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Oral Roberts University scores 29/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $25,365 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,885 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 20.3 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 0.80 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80. 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.
Oral Roberts University: Common Questions
Is Oral Roberts University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Oral Roberts University scores 29/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $25,365 a year after aid against $46,885 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 20.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Oral Roberts 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 $25,365 a year, or roughly $101,460 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 Oral Roberts University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,885 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,085 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 Oral Roberts 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 20.3 years for Oral Roberts University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Oral Roberts University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $33,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80. 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 Oral Roberts University?
The six-year graduation rate is 56.8%. 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.