Southern Oregon University
Ashland, Oregon · Public · 88.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Southern Oregon University (SOU), a regional public in Ashland known for its Shakespeare Festival proximity, posts an ROI score of 37 - Below Benchmark tier. SOU enrolls 2,751 students. In-state tuition is $12,762, out-of-state $31,887; net price is $16,732 producing a $66,928 four-year all-in. Six-year average earnings are $32,100, climbing to a median $49,175 by year ten - the late ramp suggests graduates take time to translate the credential into earnings, typical of arts-heavy programs. The 14.6-year payback period is long. The most damaging input is completion rate (25) at just 42.5%. The 57.6% three-year repayment rate is also weak. Median debt of $20,332 produces a 0.633 debt-to-earnings ratio. SOU's program portfolio leans heavily toward arts, communications, and humanities, which post weaker outcomes; stronger programs include Computer Science, English (an unusual standout), Business Administration, and Criminal Justice. The Drama program graduates 42 students per year with F-grade outcomes, reflecting the school's cultural identity but a difficult financial outcome.
How Southern Oregon 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 Score37/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Southern Oregon University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $12,762/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,887/yr |
| Average net price | $16,732/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,928 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,175 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,332 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $216 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 42.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,751 |
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: $12,762/year ($31,887/year out-of-state), 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 $16,732/year, or roughly $66,928 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 $11,830/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,181/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,332, which works out to about $216 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,100) and comes to 0.63, 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 | $11,830 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,466 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,813 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,415 |
| $110,001+ | $24,181 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $11,830 - below in-state tuition, indicating meaningful aid leverage from Pell, Oregon Opportunity Grant, and institutional aid. The four-year cost of about $47,000 against $32,100 six-year earnings is workable for completers, particularly in CS or business. The 42% completion rate remains the dominant risk factor.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $12,466 (close to sticker), and $48,001-$75,000 pays $15,813. These brackets see modest aid leverage.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $22,415 and $110,001-plus pays $24,181. Higher-income in-state families lose much of the aid advantage.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Southern Oregon University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $48,217 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $65,171 | C |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $38,487 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $59,008 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $57,299 | C |
| Biology | $63,008 | D |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $44,945 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $49,511 | D |
| Teacher Education | $53,584 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $49,706 | B |
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.
Psychology
Psychology is SOU's largest program with 76 graduates. First-year earnings of $31,627 climb to $48,217 by year four. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio and D grade. As elsewhere, undergraduate psychology outcomes are constrained without graduate study. SOU psychology serves as a feeder to graduate programs in counseling, school psychology, and social work; cumulative debt should be planned carefully.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 70 students with first-year earnings of $48,074 climbing to $65,171 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.562 ratio and C grade.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama graduates 42 students annually, reflecting SOU's Ashland-Shakespeare Festival cultural identity. First-year earnings are just $20,668, climbing modestly to $38,487 by year four. Median debt of $21,750 produces a 1.052 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The federal earnings data understates value for graduates who pursue freelance performance, regional theatre, or graduate study, but the volume of graduates relative to the small national theatre job market is a structural concern.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 41 students with $40,553 first-year earnings climbing to $59,008 by year four. Median debt of $22,000 produces a 0.542 ratio and C+ grade. The strong four-year ramp suggests advancement into supervisory and federal roles. This is a solid program for in-state students, with good public-sector employer pipelines.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 32 students with $35,222 first-year earnings, $57,299 four-year out. Median debt of $23,000 produces a 0.653 ratio and C grade. Outcomes suggest some graduates avoid the typical PT/OT graduate-study path or land in well-paying fitness and wellness management roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 51.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 57.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 59.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Southern Oregon 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 | 88.6% |
| Enrollment | 2,751 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,721 |
SOU's admission rate is 88.6% - effectively open. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data. The combination of broad admission and a 42.5% completion rate signals significant academic readiness gaps among admits.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
SOU's score is 37.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Oregon University (this school) | 37 | $16,732 | $49,175 |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | 83 | $15,706 | $72,273 |
| Eastern Oregon University | 43 | $17,148 | $50,112 |
| Lewis-Clark State College | 37 | $15,635 | $46,001 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 36 | $15,268 | $47,860 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
Who Thrives Here
The fit case here is an Oregon resident drawn to Ashland's arts and theatre community, planning to study within SOU's stronger programs (CS, business, English, criminal justice), and prepared to leverage academic support. Out-of-state students paying $31,887 sticker should be aiming exclusively at the few high-ROI programs.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Southern Oregon University scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,732 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,175 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.6 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: its 42.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 57.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,332 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. 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.
Southern Oregon University: Common Questions
Is Southern Oregon University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Southern Oregon University scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,732 a year after aid against $49,175 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Southern Oregon 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 $16,732 a year, or roughly $66,928 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 Southern Oregon University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,175 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,375 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 Southern Oregon 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 14.6 years for Southern Oregon University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Southern Oregon University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,332, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. 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 Southern Oregon 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.