Southwestern College
Winfield, Kansas · Private Nonprofit · 75.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 38/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Southwestern College is a small private nonprofit institution in Winfield, Kansas, affiliated with the United Methodist Church and enrolling about 924 students. Sticker tuition of $39,822 falls to a $29,824 average net price, with 41% of students receiving Pell Grants. Southwestern earns a Below Benchmark ROI score of 38, constrained by a 35.7% completion rate and a 12.6-year payback period. Average six-year earnings of $41,200 are moderate, but the institutions ROI is dragged down by the low graduation rate and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. The strongest programs are computer programming (A grade, 0.115 debt-to-earnings), business administration (B+), and criminal justice. Southwestern's main campus is a residential environment in a small Kansas city; the institution also operates extended-degree programs for working adults. The divergence in outcomes between the online/adult population and traditional students is worth investigating with the institution directly.
How Southwestern College 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 Score38/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate35.7% - 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.
Southwestern College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,822/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,822/yr |
| Average net price | $29,824/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $119,296 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $55,646 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 35.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 924 |
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: $39,822/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $29,824/year, or roughly $119,296 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 $26,294/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,739/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($41,200) and comes to 0.61, 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 | $26,294 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $28,688 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $30,032 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,315 |
| $110,001+ | $32,739 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $26,294 net. At that cost and with $25,000 median debt and average six-year earnings of $41,200, low-income students face a 12.6-year payback at best. The 35.7% completion rate is the central risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $75,000 band pays $28,688 - $30,032. Only if the student is committed to a specific program.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Above $75,000, families pay $31,315 - $32,739. At these net prices, Southwestern offers limited financial advantage.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Southwestern College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $73,596 | B+ |
| Computer Programming | $83,746 | A |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration | $80,322 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $63,138 | - |
| Business, General | $77,689 | - |
| Teacher Education | $44,511 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $85,029 | 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.
Computer Programming
Computer Programming is Southwestern's standout program with an A ROI grade, 23 graduates, year-one earnings of $56,305, and $83,746 at four years against only $6,500 in median debt - producing an extraordinary 0.115 debt-to-earnings ratio. This likely reflects a program structure where students minimize borrowing. At these debt levels, Southwestern's programming track is an unusually efficient credential.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Southwestern's largest measured program at 108 graduates with year-one earnings of $59,951 and $73,596 at four years. A B+ grade and 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio make this a competitive offering for a small private. This program likely serves both traditional students and adult learners, which may explain the strong first-year earnings figures.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 18 students with year-one earnings of $60,820 and $63,138 at four years. No debt ratio data is available. High first-year earnings suggest this cohort may skew toward working professionals with pre-existing careers in law enforcement or corrections who complete the degree for promotion or credentialing purposes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Southwestern College’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 | 75.5% |
| Enrollment | 924 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,799 |
Southwestern admits 75.6% of applicants with no reported SAT or ACT data. Given the private-school price tag and low completion rate, applicants should carefully evaluate their fit with the campus environment and inquire about scholarship availability and renewal conditions.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern College (this school) | 38 | $29,824 | $55,646 |
| Baker University | 65 | $25,301 | $63,855 |
| Benedictine College | 45 | $27,891 | $53,175 |
| Huntington University | 38 | $19,310 | $46,672 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
Who Thrives Here
Southwestern suits students who value a small, faith-affiliated community in rural Kansas and plan to study business, technology, or criminal justice. The 75.6% admissions rate makes entry accessible. Students in computer programming have access to a legitimately excellent ROI program given the low debt levels. However, the 35.7% completion rate is a serious warning - more than six in ten students who enroll do not graduate. Students considering Southwestern should ask directly about retention programs and student support infrastructure before enrolling.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Southwestern College scores 38/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $29,824 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $55,646 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12.6 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: weak earnings relative to cost, its 35.7% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 68.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $41,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, 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.
Southwestern College: Common Questions
Is Southwestern College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Southwestern College scores 38/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $29,824 a year after aid against $55,646 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Southwestern College 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 $29,824 a year, or roughly $119,296 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 Southwestern College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $55,646 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,846 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 Southwestern College?
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 12.6 years for Southwestern College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Southwestern College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $41,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. 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 Southwestern College?
The six-year graduation rate is 35.7%. 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.