Palm Beach Atlantic University
West Palm Beach, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 82.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Palm Beach Atlantic University posts a 39 ROI score, sitting in the Below Benchmark tier. PBA is a Christian comprehensive university in West Palm Beach with $40,650 sticker tuition and a $28,354 average net price after institutional aid. Four-year total cost reaches $113,416. The numbers driving the moderate-low score: a 12.5 percent earnings premium against the high-school baseline, $49,232 ten-year median earnings against $40,600 at six years, and a 17.8-year payback period. Median debt is $22,500 with a 0.554 debt-to-earnings ratio. Completion rate is 55.3 percent. Repayment is mediocre at 71 percent at three years dropping to 61 percent at five. Strong program-level outcomes exist in Nursing (B, 87 graduates), Business Administration (B), and Finance, but the school's signature Theological Studies, Missionary Studies, and Psychology cohorts underperform on earnings. The school does what Christian comprehensive universities do well, but the price-to-earnings spread is meaningful for most students.
How Palm Beach Atlantic 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 Score39/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,650/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,650/yr |
| Average net price | $28,354/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $113,416 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,232 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $239 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,603 |
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: $40,650/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $28,354/year, or roughly $113,416 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 $25,570/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,786/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,500, which works out to about $239 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,600) and comes to 0.55, 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 | $25,570 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $25,312 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,619 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,244 |
| $110,001+ | $32,786 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $25,570 net. With Pell at just 23 percent, this is a small cohort. Four-year cost reaches roughly $102,000 for low-income students, against $49,232 median earnings ten years out. The aid is essentially flat across the lower brackets, signaling that PBA does not deeply discount for need.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Notable inversion: the $30,001 to $48,000 bracket pays $25,312, less than the lowest-income bracket. That is a small-sample anomaly worth flagging. The $48,001 to $75,000 bracket pays $25,619. The aid curve is essentially flat across all middle brackets, around $25,000 to $26,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $32,786, with the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket at $26,244. The high bracket is where the curve finally steepens, but it remains substantially discounted from sticker. Four-year cost for high-income families is approximately $131,000. PBA fits this tier if the family values the Christian-university culture and the student targets a strong program like Nursing.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Palm Beach Atlantic University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $76,008 | B |
| Psychology | $51,530 | D |
| Marketing | $53,668 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,081 | B |
| Biology | $56,258 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $66,689 | - |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $53,398 | D |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | $42,589 | - |
| Teacher Education | $39,151 | C |
| Human Resources Management | $60,379 | C |
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 PBA's flagship program with 87 graduates per year, earning B grade. First-year median earnings of $70,586 climb to $76,008 by year four against $25,348 in median debt and a 0.359 debt-to-earnings ratio. This is the clearest financial case at PBA, combining solid scale, healthy earnings, and manageable debt.
Psychology
Psychology is the second-largest cohort at 45 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of $35,403 against $25,281 in median debt produce a 0.714 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings of $51,530 show meaningful progression. Students drawn to PBA's Christian-counseling pathway should commit to graduate school in clinical or counseling psychology to make the math work; as a terminal bachelor's the debt service is uncomfortable.
Marketing
Marketing produces 38 graduates with C grade. First-year earnings of $39,743 grow to $53,668 by year four, with $24,861 in debt and a 0.626 debt-to-earnings ratio.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration shows 33 graduates with B grade. The combination of solid earnings, lower-than-typical debt, and reasonable program size makes this one of the better financial bets at PBA outside Nursing.
Biology
Biology produces 20 graduates with C grade. First-year earnings of $28,991 against $19,250 in median debt produce a 0.664 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings jump to $56,258, indicating many graduates move into graduate or professional school. The earnings tail signals strong pre-health pipeline; as a terminal bachelor's the entry-level pay is constrained but the trajectory is real.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Palm Beach Atlantic 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 | 82.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-26 |
| Enrollment | 2,603 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 23.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,265 |
PBA admits 82 percent of applicants. SAT mid-range is 450 to 600 math and 500 to 620 reading; ACT mid-range is 18 to 26. The relatively wide test bands suggest a heterogeneous admit pool. The 55.3 percent completion rate is solid for this admit profile, indicating reasonable retention support.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach Atlantic University (this school) | 39 | $28,354 | $49,232 |
| Eastern Nazarene College | 40 | $25,381 | $54,727 |
| Carson-Newman University | 39 | $20,251 | $48,382 |
| Huntington University | 38 | $19,310 | $46,672 |
| Houghton University | 38 | $20,519 | $46,721 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | 30 | $12,074 | $39,863 |
Who Thrives Here
PBA fits a student who values Christian university culture (chapel requirements, integrated faith-and-learning) and targets a high-ROI major like Nursing, Business, or Finance. Pell rate is 23 percent, signaling a higher-income student body and limited need-based aid use. Enrollment is 2,603, a midsize comprehensive.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Palm Beach Atlantic University scores 39/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $28,354 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,232 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.8 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 three-year loan repayment rate of 71.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, 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.
Palm Beach Atlantic University: Common Questions
Is Palm Beach Atlantic University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Palm Beach Atlantic University scores 39/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $28,354 a year after aid against $49,232 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Palm Beach Atlantic 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 $28,354 a year, or roughly $113,416 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 Palm Beach Atlantic University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,232 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,432 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 Palm Beach Atlantic 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 17.8 years for Palm Beach Atlantic University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Palm Beach Atlantic University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,500, against average earnings of $40,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. 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 Palm Beach Atlantic University?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.3%. 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.