The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Cincinnati, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 58.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 70/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences earns a 70 ROI score (Fair Value) - strong for a small, single-purpose health-sciences institution. The composite is driven by two high marks: earnings premium of 0.453 (87 sub-score) and a 6.4-year payback period (87 sub-score), among the fastest in our dataset. Six-year median earnings are not reported in current Scorecard data, but ten-year median earnings are $68,303 - substantially above broad-based regional college averages because virtually every graduate is a nurse entering a high-demand profession. Tuition is $16,836 with average net price of $18,378 and total four-year cost around $73,512. Median debt of $24,250 produces a $257/month payment. The 55.7% completion rate is the principal weakness - this is a clinical-cohort institution where students wash out for academic and clinical-performance reasons. The institutional debt-to-earnings ratio is imputed (50 sub-score) due to data limitations, but the underlying nursing program data shows a 0.46 ratio - solid. This is a school whose ROI exists almost entirely because it does one thing - RN preparation - and does it well.
The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,836/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,836/yr |
| Average net price | $18,378/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $73,512 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $68,303 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 713 |
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: $16,836/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $18,378/year, or roughly $73,512 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 $17,255/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,283/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $24,250 in federal loans, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $68,303 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to N/A, which we can't fully judge without more data.
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 | $17,255 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,801 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,650 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,245 |
| $110,001+ | $22,283 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families at $0-$30,000 pay $17,255 net and $30,001-$48,000 pay $15,801. The bracket structure is unusual: the $48,001-$75,000 tier pays the lowest amount at $12,650 - clearly inverted. This pattern likely reflects merit/scholarship awards that target middle-income academically strong applicants. Pell-eligible students should run the price calculator carefully; the published averages may not match individual outcomes.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$48,001-$75,000 households pay just $12,650 (the lowest of any bracket - inverted vs. lower brackets), and $75,001-$110,000 pay $21,245. Total four-year cost ranges $51K-$85K. The middle-income sweet spot here is genuinely attractive for nursing-bound students and the 6.4-year payback math holds up well at this price point.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $22,283 (~$89K over four years). At full pay, Christ College competes with Cincinnati State Technical's RN pathway and University of Cincinnati's BSN program (both materially cheaper). High-income families typically choose Christ for the smaller cohort, the hospital affiliation, and the faith-rooted environment rather than dollar-value.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $74,797 | 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 the school: 206 graduates is the entire reported program data. First-year earnings of $68,214 grow to $74,797 by year four against $31,404 median debt (0.46 debt-to-earnings, C+ grade). The Christ Hospital affiliation gives graduates a structurally privileged path into one of Cincinnati's largest health systems, and regional placement throughout the Tri-State market is strong. The C+ grade reflects the relatively heavy debt load (above the school's 24K median, suggesting BSN cohorts borrow more), but the 6.4-year payback mitigates that. For determined nursing students, this is a solid value play.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 58.9% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-25 |
| Enrollment | 713 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 34.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,243 |
The Christ College admits 58.9% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are not reported, but ACT composite mid-range is 15-25 - a wide spread suggesting variable preparation in admitted cohorts. The school requires nursing-program-specific prerequisites, and the 55.7% completion rate reflects the rigor of clinical pathways: nursing programs nationwide commonly have 50-60% completion because of clinical-skills attrition. Prepared students with science prerequisites in hand finish at much higher rates.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Christ College's peer set (Allegheny Wesleyan, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Wabash College, Westminster University, Menlo College) is a mixed bag of small private institutions, and direct ROI comparisons are imperfect because Christ is single-purpose nursing while peers are liberal-arts or arts-focused. Within the small-private cluster, Christ's 6.4-year payback and earnings premium of 0.453 stand out - a structurally stronger ROI position than its peers. Wabash College has stronger overall completion outcomes; Christ has stronger earnings outcomes for its specific student cohort.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences (this school) | 70 | $18,378 | $68,303 |
| Wabash College | 72 | $24,336 | $69,952 |
| Menlo College | 71 | $31,100 | $76,419 |
| Westminster University | 70 | $27,094 | $66,215 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Christ College fits Cincinnati-area students determined to become registered nurses, particularly those with ties to The Christ Hospital system (the school's affiliate). Pell rate of 34.9% reflects a meaningfully working-class student body. Enrollment of 713 keeps the program tightly cohort-based. This is the right school for someone certain about nursing who wants intensive clinical preparation in a faith-influenced environment - and the wrong school for anyone exploring options.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,378 a year after aid ($73,512 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $68,303 a decade out, the cost takes about 6.4 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: concerning loan repayment rates.
Median debt of $24,250 against $68,303 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.