Schreiner University
Kerrville, Texas · Private Nonprofit · 88.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 39/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Schreiner University earns a 39 ROI score (Poor Value). Sticker tuition is $39,266, but average net price drops to $21,507 thanks to substantial discounting; total four-year cost lands around $86,028. Median earnings of $35,400 at six years grow to $52,228 at ten - decent for the Texas Hill Country labor market but not enough to comfortably cover the private-school premium for most majors. Median debt of $23,250 produces a $246/month payment and a 0.657 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 38). The 13.1-year payback period (sub-score 43) is challenging. The structural weakness is the 43.2% completion rate (sub-score 26) - less than half of enrollees graduate, similar to a number of other small private institutions. Earnings premium of 0.2 (sub-score 41) is mid-pack. Schreiner's nursing program produces strong individual outcomes, but the broader institutional ROI is held back by below-average completion and a small program portfolio outside healthcare.
The data raises concerns about Schreiner University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score39/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
Schreiner University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,266/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,266/yr |
| Average net price | $21,507/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $86,028 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,228 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,053 |
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: $39,266/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,507/year, or roughly $86,028 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 $17,863/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,062/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $23,250 in federal loans, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $52,228 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.66, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $17,863 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,987 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,712 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,002 |
| $110,001+ | $27,062 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families at $0-$30,000 pay $17,863 net and $30,001-$48,000 pay $15,987 - an inverted bracket where the second tier pays less. This often signals merit-based discounting that benefits academically stronger applicants regardless of need level. Pell-eligible students should run individual scenarios. At the published $0-30K figure, total four-year cost lands around $71K, which is challenging on a Pell-eligible budget; students will borrow at or above the $23K median.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$48,001-$75,000 households pay $18,712 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $24,002. Total four-year cost ranges $75K-$96K. The math works for nursing-bound students but is structurally weak for the broader major mix. Texas in-state public alternatives deliver similar earnings outcomes for $40K-$60K less.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $27,062 (~$108K over four years). At that price, Schreiner competes with much-stronger options like UT-Austin or Texas A&M (in-state) or Trinity University (San Antonio) for high-income families. Schreiner's appeal at this level is faith affiliation and small-class environment, not headline ROI.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Schreiner University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $92,978 | B+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $64,439 | - |
| Psychology | $45,846 | D |
| Marketing | $63,107 | - |
| Biology | $50,514 | - |
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 standout: 31 graduates, $86,950 first-year earnings rising to $92,978 at year four against $29,706 median debt (0.342 ratio, B+ grade). The high earnings figure likely reflects San Antonio metro placements (Methodist, Baptist Health, Christus Santa Rosa). For a determined nursing student, the program produces real outcomes that justify the private-school cost - the school's structural ROI exists almost entirely because of this program.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology pulls 26 graduates with year-four earnings of $64,439 reported but no first-year or debt data available. The reported number is unusually strong for a kinesiology program, suggesting most graduates pursue PT/OT/chiropractic graduate work. Without those advanced credentials, the underlying bachelor's typically under-earns the cost.
Psychology
Psychology earns a D grade with 19 graduates. First-year earnings of $31,873 rising to $45,846 by year four against $23,125 debt produces a 0.726 ratio. As at most schools, this credential under-earns the cost without graduate school. Students should plan that pathway clearly before borrowing.
Marketing
Marketing posts 9 graduates with $63,107 year-four earnings reported but missing first-year and debt data. The year-four figure is solid for a small private; San Antonio's healthcare and tourism marketing markets likely absorb graduates well. Hard to grade definitively without complete data.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Schreiner University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 88.2% |
| Enrollment | 1,053 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,796 |
Schreiner admits 88.2% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, suggesting a substantially test-optional admissions posture. With a 43.2% completion rate, the school admits many students who do not finish. Prepared students entering with clear nursing or specific career goals do meaningfully better than the institutional averages suggest.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Schreiner's peer set (Abilene Christian University, Arlington Baptist University, Geneva College, Brenau University, La Sierra University) reflects the small-private-religious-affiliated cluster. Abilene Christian outperforms Schreiner on most ROI dimensions; Arlington Baptist is similar in completion challenges. Geneva, Brenau, and La Sierra share the small-Christian-college profile. Within this peer cluster, Schreiner's net price is mid-range and its outcomes are similarly mid-range; nothing here is a high-ROI standout.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schreiner University (this school) | 39 | $21,507 | $52,228 |
| Abilene Christian University | 51 | $26,182 | $55,736 |
| La Sierra University | 41 | $45,566 | $61,824 |
| Brenau University | 41 | $18,924 | $54,003 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Arlington Baptist University | 14 | $24,906 | $44,644 |
Who Thrives Here
Schreiner fits Texas Hill Country students - from Kerrville, San Antonio, the broader I-10 corridor - who value a small Presbyterian-affiliated private experience with strong nursing and pre-health programs. Pell rate of 43.8% reflects a heavily working-class student body. Enrollment of 1,053 keeps things genuinely small. The defensible value path is nursing; outside of that, the institutional cost premium isn't recouped by program-level earnings outcomes. Texas A&M-San Antonio, UTSA, or Texas State are dramatically cheaper alternatives for most majors.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Schreiner University are a real concern. With a net cost of $21,507 per year and the typical graduate earning only $52,228 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 13.1 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 43.2% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,250 against $52,228 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.