Post University
Waterbury, Connecticut · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 12/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Post University scores 12 (Below Benchmark). The 61.3-year payback period is effectively infinite for most graduates, driven by $40,000 average 6-year earnings against $21,634 net price and a 24.9% completion rate. Only about one in four students who enroll completes a degree. Post is a private for-profit institution in Waterbury, CT that predominantly serves online students.
How Post 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 Score12/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate24.9% - 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.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Post University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,327/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,327/yr |
| Average net price | $21,634/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $86,536 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,696 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $30,157 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $320 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 24.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 13,603 |
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: $16,327/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $21,634/year, or roughly $86,536 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 $22,103/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $13,127/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $30,157, which works out to about $320 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,000) and comes to 0.75, 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 | $22,103 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,586 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,822 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,362 |
| $110,001+ | $13,127 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (0-$30,000) pay $22,103 per year at Post University - higher than the $20,586 paid by the $30,001-$48,000 bracket. The aid structure actually inverts at the lowest income level, meaning the most economically vulnerable students face the highest net price. Against $40,000 average 6-year earnings and a 24.9% completion rate, this population bears the largest financial risk with the least protection. Low-income students should treat Post University enrollment as a high-risk financial decision requiring a clear plan.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families in the $48,001-$75,000 bracket pay $19,822 per year - slightly lower than the lowest bracket, a structural anomaly in Post's aid formula. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $16,362 per year. At middle-income net prices, the financial case is marginally better than for low-income families, but the 24.9% completion rate means most families in this range are paying for a degree that will not be completed. The risk-adjusted expected value of enrollment is negative for most students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($110,000+) pay $13,127 per year - the lowest net price on the scale, another anomaly that likely reflects the institution's aid structure for full-pay students. Even at $52,508 over four years, Post's combination of 24.9% completion, $40,000 average earnings, and 61.3-year payback makes it a poor financial choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Post University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,512 | C+ |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $44,643 | F |
| Psychology | $49,393 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,913 | C |
| Human Services, General | $51,181 | F |
| Homeland Security | $66,145 | B |
| Accounting | $73,190 | C |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $51,731 | F |
| Finance and Financial Management | $69,363 | C |
| Marketing | $74,201 | 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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Post's highest-volume program at 275 graduates and its best headline ROI case: $61,704 at year one and $69,512 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.451 (ROI grade C+). These are the graduates who actually completed - a small fraction of all enrolled students. The year-one figure of $61,704 is competitive for an online business degree but must be contextualized against the 24.9% overall completion rate. Most students who start this program do not finish it.
Homeland Security
Homeland Security (66 graduates) earns $53,772 at year one and $66,145 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.439 (ROI grade B). This is one of Post's cleaner ROI outcomes, reflecting the specific credential needs of military, corrections, and law enforcement students who may already be employed in the field and using the degree for promotion. The B-grade ratio on a relatively low debt load is meaningful, though the context of Post's broader completion problem applies here too.
Human Services, General
Human Services (80 graduates) earns $41,124 at year one and $51,181 at year four, but carries median debt of $54,002 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.313 (ROI grade F). Graduates owe more than 130% of their annual salary in student debt. Human Services graduates at Post face a structural repayment crisis; many are likely in income-driven repayment or forbearance, which is consistent with the 55.3% repayment rate.
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Human Development (96 graduates) earns $31,627 at year one and $44,643 at year four, against median debt of $50,610 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.6 (ROI grade F). Graduates owe 160% of their annual earnings. Students enrolling in this program at Post should weigh the debt-to-earnings figures carefully.
Psychology
Psychology (93 graduates) earns $31,377 at year one and $49,393 at year four, with median debt of $45,713 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.457 (ROI grade F). At 93 graduates, this is one of Post's highest-volume programs and one of its worst ROI outcomes simultaneously. Psychology graduates carry debt equal to nearly 1.5 times their annual salary. Students pursuing psychology at this cost and outcome profile face a decade or more of financial drag on their earnings.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 48.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 55.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 36.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Post 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
| Enrollment | 13,603 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 78.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,044 |
Post University does not report admission selectivity data. As an open-enrollment institution primarily operating online, academic selection is not a meaningful factor.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Post's ROI score is 12.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post University (this school) | 12 | $21,634 | $38,696 |
| Full Sail University | 13 | $38,875 | $38,219 |
| Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | 9 | $16,745 | $37,180 |
| Strayer University-Global Region | 9 | $17,833 | $40,092 |
| Ashford University | 6 | $31,266 | $35,404 |
| American InterContinental University System | 6 | $15,172 | $36,144 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Post University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Post University does not report an admission rate or test score data, consistent with its open-enrollment online model. A 78.4% Pell grant rate signals a heavy concentration of federally-subsidized low-income students. The completion rate is 24.9%.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Post University scores 12/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $21,634 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $38,696 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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, its 24.9% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 55.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $30,157 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. 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.
Post University: Common Questions
Is Post University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Post University scores 12/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $21,634 a year after aid against $38,696 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Post 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 $21,634 a year, or roughly $86,536 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 Post University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $38,696 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Post 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 more than 50 years for Post University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Post University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $30,157, against average earnings of $40,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. 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 Post University?
The six-year graduation rate is 24.9%. 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.