Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Public · 80.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Temple University scores 64 (Fair Value). The 75.1% completion rate and $42,200 average 6-year earnings are adequate but not strong at a $28,198 average net price and $23,011 in-state tuition. The 8.8-year payback reflects moderate cost against moderate earnings. Temple's broad program mix creates enormous variation in outcomes: Computer Science graduates earn $73,393 at year one while Music graduates earn $19,507 and Theatre graduates earn $19,269. The aggregate score masks a highly bifurcated reality - Temple is a genuinely strong value in its professional programs and a weak value in its arts and performance programs.
Temple University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $23,011/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $38,958/yr |
| Average net price | $28,198/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $112,792 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,727 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,395 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $259 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 75.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 20,970 |
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: $23,011/year ($38,958/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 $28,198/year, or roughly $112,792 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 $22,694/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,947/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,395, which works out to about $259 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($42,200) and comes to 0.58, 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 | $22,694 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,431 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $26,534 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,397 |
| $110,001+ | $34,947 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (0-$30,000) pay $22,694 per year at Temple - $90,776 over four years. Against $42,200 average earnings and an 8.8-year payback, the financial case for low-income students at Temple depends heavily on program. CS and nursing students see payback in 3-5 years; arts and humanities students face 15+ years.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $26,534 per year and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $29,397. Total four-year costs of $106,000-$117,600 represent a significant commitment at middle-income levels. Temple's broad program mix means middle-income families should model by intended major, not by the aggregate. The business and STEM programs justify this cost; the arts programs do not at this price level.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($110,000+) pay $34,947 per year - $139,788 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Temple University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $50,582 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $101,670 | B |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $67,840 | C |
| Biology | $72,134 | D |
| Marketing | $72,289 | C+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $85,011 | B |
| Public Health | $57,499 | C |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $29,950 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $63,714 | D |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $53,818 | D |
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 and Information Sciences
CS is Temple's strongest tech program at 299 graduates: $73,393 at year one and $101,670 at year four, with a B-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.354. At $26,000 median debt, the payback math is solid. Temple's CS graduates access Philadelphia's growing tech employer base, Jefferson Health digital infrastructure, financial services firms on Market Street, and regional defense/government contractors. The 4-year trajectory to $101k confirms a strong career arc.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (93 graduates) earns $82,319 at year one and $96,342 at year four, with a B+ debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.316. At $26,000 median debt, Temple nursing graduates carry below-average debt relative to their earnings. Philadelphia's large hospital network - Temple Health, Penn Medicine, Jefferson, Einstein, CHOP - provides deep placement opportunities. This is one of Temple's strongest ROI outcomes by earnings-to-debt ratio and it has high volume.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (235 graduates) earns $58,807 at year one and $85,011 at year four, with a B-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.442. Fox School of Business finance graduates enter Philadelphia's banking and financial services sector, as well as New York finance roles for competitive candidates. The 4-year trajectory to $85,011 reflects advancement into middle-market finance and corporate treasury roles. At $26,000 median debt, this is a strong value case at Temple's public price.
Marketing
Marketing (237 graduates) earns $47,460 at year one and $72,289 at year four, with a C+ debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.548. This is a high-volume program with solid but not exceptional ROI. The 4-year trajectory reflects advancement into marketing management, digital marketing, and brand roles in Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic corridor. At a public university price, a C+ is workable.
Music
Music (54 graduates) earns $19,507 at year one - the lowest on campus - with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.23 (ROI grade F). Graduates owe $24,000 in median debt against $19,507 in first-year earnings. The 4-year figure of $40,387 is more representative of the career arc for working musicians, but the F grade on debt-to-earnings is accurate for the critical early years. Temple's Boyer College of Music has strong artistic reputation, but students entering this program should model the financial path carefully and consider whether post-graduation performing or teaching careers align with their expected income.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Temple 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 | 80.4% |
| Enrollment | 20,970 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,479 |
Temple's admission rate is 80.4%. The absence of SAT/ACT data reflects test-optional policies in the current period. Admission itself is not differentiated enough to signal outcomes - program choice is the primary driver of whether a Temple degree pays off.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Temple's median debt is $24,395. The school's main ROI challenge is its arts enrollment volume - the F-grade programs represent significant numbers of graduates (film 133, theatre 70, music 54, fine arts 87) pulling down the aggregate.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University (this school) | 64 | $28,198 | $63,727 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 68 | $15,435 | $57,289 |
| CUNY New York City College of Technology | 64 | $5,127 | $49,365 |
| Grand Valley State University | 60 | $16,317 | $56,118 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 51 | $18,134 | $56,148 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Temple University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Temple admits 80.4% of applicants and does not report SAT or ACT data for the current period. Enrollment is 20,970. The 32% Pell grant rate reflects a diverse urban student body with meaningful representation of first-generation and lower-income students. Students targeting CS, nursing, engineering, accounting, or finance will find strong outcomes at a public price. Students entering film, theatre, music, fine arts, or drama should examine the F-grade ROI outcomes carefully before enrolling - these programs produce year-one earnings of $19,000-$24,000 against $26,000 median debt.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Temple University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $28,198 a year after aid ($112,792 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,727 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 75.0% graduation rate.
Median debt of $24,395 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $42,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, 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.
Temple University: Common Questions
Is Temple University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Temple University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 64/100 on our ROI scale. At $28,198 a year after aid ($112,792 over four years) against $63,727 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Temple 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 $28,198 a year, or roughly $112,792 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 Temple University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,727 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,927 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 Temple 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 8.8 years for Temple University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Temple University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,395, against average earnings of $42,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. 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 Temple University?
The six-year graduation rate is 75.0%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.