Thomas University
Thomasville, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 38.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Thomas University scores 37 (Below Benchmark) on CampusROI, a result driven primarily by a completion rate of 27.5% and a repayment rate of 49.7%. Only about one in four students who enrolls at Thomas University finishes within normal time - the most significant risk factor in evaluating this institution. Average 6-year earnings of $38,700 and a 14.5-year payback period further constrain the financial picture. The strongest programs are healthcare-focused: Registered Nursing (11 graduates, $74,176 year-one, $92,116 year-four, ROI grade B) and Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science (18 graduates, $59,675 year-one, ROI grade B). Outside healthcare, program-level outcomes are weak. Criminal Justice (50 graduates) carries an ROI grade of D with median debt of $45,464 - the highest debt figure in the program set. Business Administration (29 graduates) earns D grade. The gap between the healthcare programs and everything else at Thomas University is the defining financial feature.
How Thomas 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.
- 6-year graduation rate27.5% - 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.
Thomas University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,640/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $11,640/yr |
| Average net price | $18,499/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $73,996 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,716 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,198 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $225 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 27.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 998 |
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: $11,640/year, 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 $18,499/year, or roughly $73,996 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 $15,640/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,059/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,198, which works out to about $225 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,700) and comes to 0.55, 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 | $15,640 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,546 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,923 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,934 |
| $110,001+ | $20,059 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $15,640 per year at Thomas University - a meaningful cost for families in this bracket given the institution's 27.5% completion rate. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $19,546. Low-income students face a significant risk of incurring debt without a degree. The 55.4% Pell rate indicates the institution serves many students from this background. Healthcare programs (nursing, clinical lab science) are the clearest path to a positive outcome for low-income students who complete.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $19,923 per year and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $19,934 - essentially flat across middle-income bands, suggesting minimal aid variation at these income levels. Middle-income families face approximately $80,000 in four-year cost with no meaningful discount from income-based aid.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $20,059 per year - very close to all other income brackets, indicating the institution has a near-flat pricing structure with minimal income-based differentiation above the lowest bracket. This flat pricing is unusual; most private nonprofits provide steeper aid reductions for lower-income families. At $38,700 average 6-year earnings and a 14.5-year payback, high-income families have the weakest financial case for paying even this modest net price at Thomas University.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Thomas University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $61,295 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $54,403 | D |
| Social Work | $40,565 | D |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $59,675 | B |
| Psychology | $43,219 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $92,116 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (11 graduates) is Thomas University's top-performing program: $74,176 year-one and $92,116 year-four with median debt of $31,188 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.420 (ROI grade B). The earnings trajectory is solid enough to justify the investment for students who complete. Georgia's healthcare market, including Archbold Medical Center and regional hospital systems, provides local employment. The small graduate volume (11) limits the statistical robustness of these figures.
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science (18 graduates) earns $59,675 year-one with median debt of $23,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.385 (ROI grade B). No four-year earnings data is available. The program places graduates in hospital laboratory roles and diagnostic positions - occupations with stable regional demand in healthcare-dependent communities. This is Thomas University's second-strongest ROI program and benefits from licensure-track placement clarity.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (50 graduates) is the largest program at Thomas University and among its weakest on ROI: $52,991 year-one, $61,295 year-four, ROI grade D, with median debt of $45,464 - exceptionally high relative to earnings. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.858 is driven primarily by the large debt figure rather than low earnings, suggesting graduates are borrowing significantly more than the institutional median. Students interested in criminal justice should compare debt loading carefully; $45,464 in median debt is a substantial burden on a $52,991 starting salary.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (29 graduates) earns $36,436 year-one and $54,403 year-four with median debt of $26,125 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.717 (ROI grade D). Year-one earnings of under $37,000 against $26,125 in median debt produce a tight initial financial position. The four-year growth to $54,403 is meaningful but requires four to five years post-graduation to materialize. Business administration at Thomas University is appropriate for students with strong career intentions in the regional market who can minimize debt.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 35.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 49.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 42.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 51.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Thomas 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 | 38.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-24 |
| Enrollment | 998 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 55.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,844 |
SAT 490-600 Math and 500-620 Reading and ACT 20-24 reflect a broad academic preparation range. The admission rate is not the relevant risk factor here - completion is. Prospective students should research retention services, student-to-faculty ratios, and academic support resources before enrolling, given that fewer than three in ten students finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Thomas University's completion rate is 27.5% and its repayment rate is 49.7%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas University (this school) | 37 | $18,499 | $49,716 |
| Agnes Scott College | 45 | $24,754 | $56,274 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Peirce College | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| Clark Atlanta University | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
Who Thrives Here
Thomas University enrolls 998 students with a 38.3% admission rate. SAT mid-ranges are 490-600 Math and 500-620 Reading; ACT 20-24. Pell rate of 55.4% indicates that the majority of students come from low-income backgrounds. That demographic reality makes the 27.5% completion rate particularly concerning: most students are from economically constrained backgrounds, and low completion rates mean many will exit with debt but no credential. Thomas University is in Thomasville, a small city in south Georgia, which limits local labor market depth for non-healthcare graduates.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Thomas University scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $18,499 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,716 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.5 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 27.5% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 49.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,198 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, 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.
Thomas University: Common Questions
Is Thomas University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Thomas University scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $18,499 a year after aid against $49,716 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Thomas 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 $18,499 a year, or roughly $73,996 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 Thomas University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,716 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,916 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 Thomas 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 14.5 years for Thomas University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Thomas University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,198, against average earnings of $38,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. 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 Thomas University?
The six-year graduation rate is 27.5%. 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.