South University-Tampa
Tampa, Florida · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 8/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
South University-Tampa scores 8/100. Every sub-score is in the single digits or teens: 6/100 earnings premium, 6/100 completion rate (just 23.3% finish), 6/100 repayment rate (only 45.3% reduce principal at three years), and 15/100 debt-to-earnings (a 0.804 ratio). The payback period is 999 years, meaning earnings never recoup cost on a normal timeline. Net price is $20,434 against $18,145 tuition, with the $20,434 figure exceeding tuition because the calculation includes living expenses, books, and fees. Four-year cost runs $81,736 against median 10-year earnings of just $34,421. Median debt is $26,123 across all completers. The program-level data tells the same story: outside of Registered Nursing, every reported major receives an F ROI grade with debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0. This is a school where major selection determines whether enrolling makes any financial sense at all.
How South University-Tampa 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 Score8/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate23.3% - 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.
South University-Tampa
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,145/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,145/yr |
| Average net price | $20,434/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $81,736 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,421 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,123 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $277 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 23.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 388 |
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: $18,145/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 $20,434/year, or roughly $81,736 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 $20,347/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,123, which works out to about $277 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,500) and comes to 0.80, 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 | $20,347 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,364 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,759 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,442 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $20,347 net, with the bracket pricing inverted: families in $30,001-$48,000 actually pay less ($19,364) than the lowest bracket, which is unusual and likely reflects aid stacking quirks. Four-year cash outlay is $81,388 against $34,421 schoolwide median earnings. Federal aid limits prevent the worst debt outcomes but cannot fix the underlying math.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households earning $48,001-$75,000 pay $20,759 net, essentially the same as the low-income bracket, indicating limited need-based aid scaling. Middle-income families have no meaningful pricing relief here. The same nursing-or-bust calculus applies.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $22,442 net, and $110,001+ data is not reported.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at South University-Tampa with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $91,363 | C+ |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $46,885 | F |
| Psychology | $39,694 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,445 | F |
| Public Health | $45,993 | F |
| Information Science | $58,915 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,322 | F |
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 only program at South University-Tampa that makes any financial sense. With 72 graduates and $77,635 first-year earnings rising to $91,363 by year four, the C+ ROI grade and 0.539 debt-to-earnings ratio (against $41,815 median debt) make the math workable. Florida's chronic nursing shortage drives high local wages. The catch is the $41,815 in debt.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration earns an F grade with just 4 graduates, $53,445 four-year earnings against $55,162 in median debt, producing a 1.26 debt-to-earnings ratio. The major is essentially indistinguishable from state-school business programs in earnings outcomes but charges roughly 4x the cost. There is no financial case for this major at this school.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Healthcare Admin produced 5 graduates with $46,885 four-year earnings and $55,123 in debt, yielding a 1.388 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. Community-college medical-billing-and-coding certificates accomplish more for a tiny fraction of the cost.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 1 student with $46,322 four-year earnings against $55,652 debt for a 1.476 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The single-graduate sample size makes the data noisy.
Psychology
Psychology produces the school's worst ROI: 5 graduates, $39,694 four-year earnings, $54,702 debt, and a 1.907 debt-to-earnings ratio. Psychology degrees nearly always require graduate study to unlock career-track wages, and median undergrad debt is $54,702.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 27.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 33.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How South University-Tampa’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 | 388 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,883 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported either. The completion rate is 23.3%.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| South University-Tampa (this school) | 8 | $20,434 | $34,421 |
| Strayer University-Georgia | 9 | $18,318 | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-South Carolina | 9 | $17,979 | $40,092 |
| South University-Columbia | 8 | $27,693 | $34,421 |
| University of Phoenix-Arizona | 8 | $13,520 | $37,752 |
| South University-Savannah Online | 7 | $28,049 | $34,421 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See South University-Tampa side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
South University-Tampa serves a small (388 students) Pell-heavy (48.97%) population, often adult learners or career-changers drawn by flexible scheduling and the nursing track. The school fits only one student profile cleanly: someone seeking a nursing credential who can absorb $41,815 in debt against $77,635 first-year earnings.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, South University-Tampa scores 8/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,434 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $34,421 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 23.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 45.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,123 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80. 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.
South University-Tampa: Common Questions
Is South University-Tampa worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. South University-Tampa scores 8/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,434 a year after aid against $34,421 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 South University-Tampa 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 $20,434 a year, or roughly $81,736 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 South University-Tampa graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $34,421 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 South University-Tampa?
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 South University-Tampa. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do South University-Tampa graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,123, against average earnings of $32,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80. 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 South University-Tampa?
The six-year graduation rate is 23.3%. 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.