Troy University
Troy, Alabama · Public · 96.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 22/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Troy University earns a 22 ROI score and the Below Benchmark tier rating, a result that combines genuinely affordable in-state pricing with persistently weak schoolwide earnings outcomes. In-state tuition is $10,176 (out-of-state $20,352), and the net price after aid is $16,527 - noticeably higher than sticker, reflecting heavy room-board and living costs in the COA calculation. Four-year cost lands at $66,108. Average earnings six years out are just $34,300, climbing modestly to a median $42,062 by year ten - a soft 11 percent earnings premium. The 0.729 debt-to-earnings ratio and 29.2-year payback are heavy. Strong nursing, computer-science, and a notable Science/Technology/Society program partially offset, but most other majors land in C/D ROI territory. Troy is best understood as an affordable Alabama public regional whose cost-controlled model is undermined by weak earnings outcomes for most majors.
How Troy 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 Score22/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period29.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Troy University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,176/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,352/yr |
| Average net price | $16,527/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,108 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,062 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 29.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 50.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 9,805 |
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: $10,176/year ($20,352/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 $16,527/year, or roughly $66,108 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 $12,656/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,139/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 ($34,300) and comes to 0.73, 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 | $12,656 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,042 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,321 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,406 |
| $110,001+ | $22,139 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Lowest-income families pay $12,656 net annually - with the $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually paying slightly less at $12,042, a mild inversion. Roughly $51,000 over four years for Pell-eligible students against $34K six-year earnings is a manageable but real debt risk. The nursing pipeline is the clearest path to positive ROI for low-income students at Troy.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $12,042 ($30K-$48K), $14,321 ($48K-$75K), and $18,406 ($75K-$110K) - a meaningful jump for the upper-middle band. Annual costs remain reasonable, but the cost-to-outcome math is limited by the school's weak earnings profile.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families pay $22,139 net annually - nearly $89,000 over four years. With median 10-year earnings of $42,062, the math is genuinely difficult unless the student lands in nursing or computer science.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Troy University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $63,472 | C |
| Psychology | $44,102 | D |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $34,238 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $78,785 | B |
| Teacher Education | $49,195 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,317 | C |
| Social Work | $45,789 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $79,492 | C+ |
| Biology | $46,934 | D |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $44,859 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Troy's flagship-earnings program with 145 graduates, posting first-year earnings of $66,344 climbing to $78,785 by year four. Median debt of $25,000 produces a healthy 0.377 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. Career paths flow into Alabama and Florida Panhandle hospital systems, with strong absorption capacity. This is the program that does the heaviest lifting on the school's overall value proposition.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences graduates 101 students with $58,407 first-year and $79,492 four-year earnings - strong outcomes for a regional public. Median debt of $27,437 produces a 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade. Career paths flow into Huntsville's defense-tech corridor and broader Southeast technology employers.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Troy's largest program at 290 graduates with $45,260 first-year and $63,472 four-year earnings. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.597 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Career paths spread broadly across regional employers; the numbers are solid but not standout, with outcomes likely scaling significantly with internship quality and student initiative.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 245 students - the second-largest cohort - with weak outcomes: $31,479 first-year and $44,102 four-year earnings, against median debt of $31,207. The resulting 0.991 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. Most strong career paths require graduate study; bachelor-only psychology graduates here face a tough recovery curve.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 127 students with $31,190 first-year and $45,789 four-year earnings against median debt of $30,500 - producing a 0.978 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The mission is laudable, but as with psychology, most strong career paths require graduate study and licensure. Students should plan for an MSW pathway and budget accordingly.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 48.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 56.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 38.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 47.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Troy 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 | 96.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 9,805 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 42.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,612 |
Troy admits 96 percent of applicants - effectively open enrollment for all but the weakest applicants. SAT mid-50 percent ranges run 450-590 in Math and 490-620 in Reading, while ACT Composite spans 18-25. The 50.3 percent completion rate is low for the headline admit rate, indicating that admission is the easy part and graduating requires substantial student commitment, particularly given Troy's large nontraditional and online-leaning enrollment.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troy University (this school) | 22 | $16,527 | $42,062 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | 55 | $18,749 | $54,501 |
| Georgia Gwinnett College | 34 | $15,844 | $47,730 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | 27 | $21,708 | $44,140 |
| Middle Georgia State University | 21 | $12,361 | $40,863 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
Who Thrives Here
Troy fits Alabama and surrounding-state students seeking an affordable public regional, particularly those targeting nursing, computer science, education, or military-affiliated programs (Troy has deep military partnerships). Enrollment is 9,805 undergraduates and Pell rate runs 42.8 percent - a working-class student body. Strongest student outcomes accrue to nursing graduates and the niche Science/Technology/Society cohort. Students entering humanities or social sciences should plan for graduate study to recoup their investment.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Troy University scores 22/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,527 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,062 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 29.2 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 50.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 56.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73. 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.
Troy University: Common Questions
Is Troy University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Troy University scores 22/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,527 a year after aid against $42,062 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 29.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Troy 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 $16,527 a year, or roughly $66,108 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 Troy University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,062 ten years after enrolling, roughly $262 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 Troy 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 29.2 years for Troy University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Troy University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $34,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73. 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 Troy University?
The six-year graduation rate is 50.3%. 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.