Southeastern University
Lakeland, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 53.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 24/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida earns a 24/100 ROI score and the Below Benchmark tier. The data reveals deep structural challenges. Average earnings six years after entry are $31,200, climbing to a median $46,744 by year ten - weak absolute outcomes given the school's $32,950 sticker tuition and $31,942 net price. Note that net price is essentially equal to sticker, indicating very thin institutional aid; many students pay near full price. The four-year total cost is $127,768. The implied payback period is 22.8 years, well outside any reasonable economic justification. Median federal debt sits at $21,500 (a notably low figure given the high net price, indicating substantial private/parent borrowing or out-of-pocket payment beyond federal limits), producing a 0.689 debt-to-earnings ratio. Earnings premium of 9.2% over a high-school graduate is weak. Repayment performance is mediocre at 66% three-year. The program-mix is the proximate cause: 215 graduates in theological and ministerial studies (D grade), 86 in psychology (D), and 148 in business administration (D) anchor the cohort, while higher-earning programs like nursing remain small (48 graduates). The honest read: SEU's identity as an Assemblies of God-affiliated university with strong ministry-formation programs creates real value for students called to vocational ministry, but as a financial investment for any other program track the math is poor.
How Southeastern 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 Score24/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period22.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Southeastern University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,950/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,950/yr |
| Average net price | $31,942/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $127,768 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,744 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 22.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 42.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,813 |
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: $32,950/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $31,942/year, or roughly $127,768 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 $29,498/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,482/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,500, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,200) and comes to 0.69, 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 | $29,498 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $29,185 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $31,185 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,795 |
| $110,001+ | $34,482 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face $29,498 net price. Note the bracket inversion: the $30K-$48K bracket pays $29,185 - LESS than the $0-$30K bracket. This is unusual and suggests aid-stacking quirks worth questioning at the financial aid office. Across four years, low-income families face $117,992 net cost against $31,200 six-year average earnings - the math does not work.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $29,185 ($30K-$48K), $31,185 ($48K-$75K), and $34,795 ($75K-$110K). The $75K-$110K bracket actually pays MORE than the $110K+ bracket ($34,482) - another inversion. Aid is shallow and inconsistent across income bands, suggesting little need-based discounting and quirky merit allocation.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $34,482 - effectively full sticker, with the bracket inversion noted above. Over four years that's $137,928 net. With $46,744 ten-year median earnings, this price point is only defensible for ministry-track students whose career calling justifies the expense. For any other program path, a Florida public would deliver better outcomes at one-fifth the net cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Southeastern University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $44,106 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $55,827 | D |
| Psychology | $48,011 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,427 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $61,909 | B |
| Social Work | $52,194 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $52,899 | D |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $55,318 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $48,343 | C |
| Teacher Education | $49,334 | C |
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 SEU's clear ROI bright spot. Graduates earn $70,612 one year out, with $26,763 median debt and a 0.379 debt-to-earnings ratio - a B grade. Note that 4-year earnings ($61,909) are reported as LOWER than 1-year earnings, which is anomalous and likely reflects cohort composition or part-time/full-time mix shift in the 4-year sample. With 48 graduates, the program is meaningful but small. For prospective RN students the program is defensible.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological/ministerial studies is SEU's largest program by graduates (215). Earnings are $29,809 one year out and $44,106 four years out, with $23,218 median debt and a 0.779 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). For students called to ministry careers, the earnings reflect the realities of the field; the school delivers mission-aligned formation. The financial framing has to be honest: this is not an economic upgrade pathway.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration graduates earn $34,939 one year out and $55,827 four years out, with $24,886 median debt and a 0.712 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). 148 graduates makes this SEU's largest non-ministry program. The earnings are notably weak.
Psychology
Psychology graduates earn $26,915 one year out and $48,011 four years out, with $25,000 median debt and a 0.929 debt-to-earnings ratio - a D grade. 86 graduates per cohort.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates earn $25,994 one year out and $46,427 four years out, with $25,343 median debt and a 0.975 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). 52 graduates per cohort. Many kinesiology students intend graduate school in PT, OT, or PA tracks, but the bachelor's-only outcomes here are weak. At this price point, students should pursue this degree at a Florida public if grad school is the destination.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 64.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Southeastern 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 | 53.0% |
| Enrollment | 4,813 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,041 |
Southeastern admits 53% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with test-optional admissions and incomplete reporting. Prepared, motivated students do better than the headline rates suggest, but the institutional retention infrastructure is limited.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern University (this school) | 24 | $31,942 | $46,744 |
| Barry University | 42 | $22,613 | $55,966 |
| Baptist University of Florida | 31 | $10,372 | $42,836 |
| Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico | 27 | $17,540 | $47,540 |
| Columbia College | 25 | $22,715 | $45,378 |
| Anderson University | 24 | $23,544 | $42,101 |
Who Thrives Here
SEU enrolls 4,813 students with a 21.5% Pell rate. The student body is predominantly drawn by the school's Pentecostal/Assemblies of God identity and ministry-preparation programs. The fit profile that the data supports: students genuinely called to ministry, missions, or church leadership who view the credential as vocational formation rather than economic upgrade, and students pursuing the school's nursing program.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Southeastern University scores 24/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $31,942 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,744 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 22.8 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 42.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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.
Southeastern University: Common Questions
Is Southeastern University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Southeastern University scores 24/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $31,942 a year after aid against $46,744 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 22.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Southeastern 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 $31,942 a year, or roughly $127,768 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 Southeastern University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,744 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,944 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 Southeastern 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 22.8 years for Southeastern University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Southeastern University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,500, against average earnings of $31,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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 Southeastern University?
The six-year graduation rate is 42.5%. 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.