Simpson University
Redding, California · Private Nonprofit · 86.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 44/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Simpson University, a small Christian liberal-arts college in Redding, CA affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, scores 44 out of 100 - the Below Benchmark tier rating that is dragged down by a 49% completion rate and a modest 0.174 earnings premium. Average earnings six years after entry are $35,100, climbing to a median $54,340 at year ten - a meaningful long-run ramp. Median debt is a relatively contained $18,750 against a 0.534 debt-to-earnings ratio. Payback period is 13 years. Sticker tuition is $39,708, net price $27,817 (institutional aid does meaningful work), four-year total $111,268. The standout strength on file: nursing, which posts $102,613 first-year earnings, reflecting Northern California healthcare wages. The aggregate ROI is held back by completion and the small enrollment of 809 limiting program diversity. For students targeting nursing or a Christian-mission education in NorCal, Simpson is a defensible choice; for general liberal-arts study at this price, the value proposition is thin.
How Simpson 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 Score44/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Simpson University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,708/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,708/yr |
| Average net price | $27,817/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $111,268 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,340 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $199 |
| Estimated payback period | 13 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 809 |
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: $39,708/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,817/year, or roughly $111,268 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 $25,511/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,163/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,750, which works out to about $199 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,100) and comes to 0.53, 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 | $25,511 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,738 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,479 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,656 |
| $110,001+ | $30,163 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $25,511 net annually - still substantial despite Pell + Cal Grant + institutional aid. Four-year exposure of about $102,000 against $35,100 average earnings is tight. The math works defensibly only for nursing students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays the lowest net price at $22,738 - the institutional-aid sweet spot. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $28,479, and $75,001-$110,000 pays $29,656. Four-year cost runs $91,000-$118,000 across mid brackets. Middle-income families should pursue merit aid aggressively and target nursing or a clear post-graduation career path.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $30,163 net per year - four-year cost approaches $121,000. Institutional aid still provides modest discount from sticker.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Simpson University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $113,623 | B+ |
| Psychology | $56,902 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $58,478 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $52,311 | B |
| Human Resources Management | $65,797 | - |
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 Simpson's flagship ROI program and a genuine outlier: 53 graduates with $102,613 first-year earnings - exceptionally high, reflecting Northern California's hospital wage premium - rising to $113,623 by year four. Median debt is $28,635, producing a 0.279 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ grade. Strong placement into Mercy Medical Center Redding and the wider NorCal hospital network drives outcomes. For ROI-focused students this is the single clearest reason to choose Simpson.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business admin produces 39 graduates with $42,333 first-year earnings, $58,478 by year four, $20,708 median debt, and a 0.489 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C+ grade. The relatively low debt level helps the ROI math. A defensible track for Christian-mission-aligned students who want a business degree in this environment.
Psychology
Psychology produces 48 graduates with $37,451 first-year earnings, $56,902 by year four, $22,250 median debt, and a 0.594 ratio for a C grade. Still, students should plan for graduate-school continuation to fully capture the field's earnings potential.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences produces 19 graduates with $52,311 median earnings four years out, $19,000 median debt, and a 0.363 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a B grade. The low debt combined with reasonable mid-career earnings produces a surprisingly favorable ROI ratio for a generalist liberal-arts track. First-year earnings are not reported. Reflects students moving into ministry, education, or further graduate study where earnings ramp meaningfully.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Simpson 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 | 86.0% |
| Enrollment | 809 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 44.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,504 |
Admission rate is 86.03% - broadly accessible. The 49% completion rate aligns with the open-access prep distribution. Stronger-credentialed applicants who specifically choose Simpson for its faith mission are most likely to complete and capture the institution's strong nursing-program outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson University (this school) | 44 | $27,817 | $54,340 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
| Covenant College | 47 | $26,265 | $50,412 |
| Martin Luther College | 46 | $18,463 | $47,491 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
Who Thrives Here
Simpson fits NorCal and Pacific Northwest students seeking a small evangelical Christian liberal-arts community in a Northern California setting. Pell rate is 44.11% - meaningful working-class enrollment of 809. Students drawn to ministry, missionary work, Christian leadership, or simply a faith-based learning environment will find a coherent community here. Students drawn primarily by the nursing program get an excellent ROI play.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Simpson University scores 44/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $27,817 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $54,340 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 13 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 48.8% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53, 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.
Simpson University: Common Questions
Is Simpson University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Simpson University scores 44/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $27,817 a year after aid against $54,340 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 13 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Simpson 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 $27,817 a year, or roughly $111,268 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 Simpson University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $54,340 ten years after enrolling, roughly $12,540 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 Simpson 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 13 years for Simpson University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Simpson University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,750, against average earnings of $35,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53. 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 Simpson University?
The six-year graduation rate is 48.8%. 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.