South University-Tampa
Tampa, Florida · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 8/100 · Poor Value
South University-Tampa scores 8/100, one of the lowest ROI ratings on CampusROI and a textbook for-profit cautionary case. Every sub-score is in the single digits or teens: 6/100 earnings premium (a negative -0.007, meaning graduates earn fractionally less than typical high-school workers), 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, above federal gainful-employment thresholds). 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.
The data raises concerns about South University-Tampa
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score8/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate23.3% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup 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 |
| Median 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 sticker price at South University-Tampa is $18,145/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $20,434/year, or roughly $81,736 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $20,347/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,123 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $277 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $34,421 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.80 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 of $81,388 against $34,421 schoolwide median earnings is a punishing equation outside the nursing program. 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. Higher-income families paying close to sticker should treat South University-Tampa as a non-option except for nursing, and even then only after exhausting community college nursing pathways that cost 70% less. This is not a school where any income tier gets a fair deal outside the nursing program.
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 $41,815 in debt is still substantially higher than community-college ADN pathways, so students should compare carefully.
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. The major leverages South's healthcare-adjacent brand but produces wage outcomes well below national averages for similar programs. 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, but the structural problem is universal across for-profit CJ programs: state and local hiring rarely rewards the credential premium over a community college degree, leaving graduates with debt and no wage lift.
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 starting that graduate path $54,702 in the hole from undergrad is a financial trap. State university psychology programs cost less than half and produce identical employment outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 27.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 33.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 388 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,883 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, which is typical of open-enrollment for-profit institutions. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported either. In effect, anyone who applies and qualifies for aid can enroll, which is why the 23.3% completion rate is so low: there is no academic screen filtering out underprepared students, and many leave with debt and no degree.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
South University-Tampa's peer set is a who's-who of low-ROI for-profits: South University-West Palm Beach and South University-Columbia are sister campuses with nearly identical outcomes, Full Sail University combines high tuition with niche media-arts outcomes that rarely pay back, and California Aeronautical University and Eagle Gate College-Murray follow the same pattern of high cost, low completion, weak earnings. Across this peer set, Tampa's 23.3% completion rate is roughly average for the segment, but the 999-year payback period is uniformly bad. Public Florida options like USF or UCF deliver dramatically better economics.
| 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 |
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. Every other major produces F-grade ROI. Students considering non-nursing programs should evaluate community college or state university alternatives that cost a fraction as much and produce comparable or better wage outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about South University-Tampa. With a net cost of $20,434 per year and median graduate earnings of only $34,421 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 23.3% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,123 against $34,421 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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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.