Rivier University
Nashua, New Hampshire · Private Nonprofit · 82.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 41/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Rivier University, a small (1,231 students) Catholic university in Nashua, New Hampshire, scores 41 (Below Benchmark tier). The financial picture is challenging: sticker tuition of $39,488, average net price of $28,082 (about $11,400 in discounting), and four-year cost of $112,328. Average earnings six years out are $44,500, but the median 10-year figure of $52,248 represents an unusually flat earnings curve. Median federal debt of $26,956 produces a 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 50). Payback period of 14.6 years (sub-score 38) is long. Completion rate of 51.7% (sub-score 42) is mediocre. Three-year repayment rate of 77.7% (sub-score 63) is the school's strongest component - finishers reliably service their loans. The honest read: Rivier's nursing program (120 graduates, B grade, $74K starting earnings) is genuinely strong and singlehandedly anchors the institutional value proposition. The much smaller cohorts in business, education, psychology, and public health face flat earnings curves that compress the ROI math. Students choosing Rivier outside of nursing should be deliberate about cost-to-outcomes alignment.
How Rivier 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 Score41/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Rivier University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,488/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,488/yr |
| Average net price | $28,082/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $112,328 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,248 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $44,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,956 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,231 |
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: $39,488/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $28,082/year, or roughly $112,328 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 $23,321/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $31,359/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,956, 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 ($44,500) and comes to 0.61, 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 | $23,321 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,978 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,106 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,352 |
| $110,001+ | $31,359 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $23,321 net annually, totaling about $93,284 over four years. The discount off sticker is meaningful but the residual cost is substantial for low-income families. Pell aid plus federal loans plus institutional grants close most of the gap; low-income students typically borrow at or near the school median ($26,956).
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $25,106 per year, about $100,424 over four years. The aid grading flattens through the middle brackets - middle-income families pay only modestly more than the lowest brackets. Combined with workable nursing-track outcomes, the math is defensible for the right student.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,001+) pay $31,359 per year, totaling $125,436 across four years - exceeding the published 4-year cost. Aid grading at the top is meaningful but caps; high-income families pay roughly $8,000 more annually than the lowest bracket. For high-income families, Rivier should be evaluated only on Catholic-mission and small-private-experience grounds, not as a general value play.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Rivier University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $91,727 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,102 | C |
| Psychology | $56,686 | C |
| Teacher Education | $48,523 | D |
| Public Health | $72,965 | D |
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 Rivier's flagship program at 120 graduates per year - a meaningful cohort - with $74,292 starting earnings, $91,727 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade. This program singlehandedly anchors Rivier's value proposition and is the clearest ROI track.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 19 graduates with $39,453 starting, $69,102 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. The strong 4-year earnings ramp reflects graduates accelerating into Boston-area roles, but the debt load slows the immediate-payback math. Students should be deliberate about debt-financing and target metro Boston for placement.
Psychology
Psychology produces 15 graduates with $40,242 starting, $56,686 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. The 4-year ramp suggests graduates pursuing licensure-track graduate study. Modest cohort and slow earnings progression; students should plan continued education to improve the math.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 11 graduates with $38,552 starting, $48,523 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. Mission-aligned but financially constrained.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 73.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Rivier 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 | 82.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-585 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 545-590 |
| Enrollment | 1,231 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,174 |
Rivier admits 82.6% of applicants. ACT data is not reported. The 51.7% completion rate aligns reasonably with the academic profile and the school's working-class student composition. Selectivity is moderate; the financial value depends on student major selection.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Rivier's nursing program is strong.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivier University (this school) | 41 | $28,082 | $52,248 |
| Dartmouth College | 95 | $29,519 | $97,434 |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 42 | $22,421 | $49,555 |
| Muskingum University | 39 | $19,532 | $48,440 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Colby-Sawyer College | 32 | $27,431 | $46,474 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 28.3% indicates a meaningfully working-class student body.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Rivier University scores 41/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $28,082 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $52,248 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.6 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 51.7% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,956 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $44,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, 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.
Rivier University: Common Questions
Is Rivier University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Rivier University scores 41/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $28,082 a year after aid against $52,248 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Rivier 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 $28,082 a year, or roughly $112,328 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 Rivier University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $52,248 ten years after enrolling, roughly $10,448 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 Rivier 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 14.6 years for Rivier University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Rivier University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,956, against average earnings of $44,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. 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 Rivier University?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.7%. 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.