University of Akron Wayne College
Orrville, Ohio · Public · 89.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 48/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Akron Wayne College in Orrville, Ohio scores ROI 48 (Below Average Value) - a small branch campus of the University of Akron serving 457 students in Wayne County's rural northeast Ohio. The school's data is stark: average 6-year earnings of $33,900, a completion rate of only 18.5%, and a 14.1-year payback period. The earnings premium sub-score of 89 (the school's highest) suggests that graduates who do finish earn meaningfully more than local non-graduates - a signal that the degree itself has value. But the 18.5% completion rate is the central fact: fewer than two in ten students who enroll at Wayne College graduate. Net price is very low ($6,032 average). No program-level earnings data is reported in the Scorecard for this campus. The school's profile is that of an open-access branch campus serving working adults and first-generation students from Wayne County - a population for whom completion barriers (financial, work/family, academic) are severe.
How University of Akron Wayne 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.
- 6-year graduation rate18.5% - 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.
University of Akron Wayne College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,723/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,403/yr |
| Average net price | $6,032/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $24,128 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,600 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 18.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 457 |
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: $7,723/year ($15,403/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $6,032/year, or roughly $24,128 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 $3,982/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $12,160/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,250, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,900) and comes to 0.69, 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 | $3,982 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $4,100 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,663 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $11,082 |
| $110,001+ | $12,160 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $3,982 per year. Over two years, that is under $8,000. This is genuine open-access affordability. The question is not cost; it is completion. A student who attends for one year and leaves has spent $3,982 and gained no credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $4,100 - essentially the same as the lowest bracket. The 48,001-75,000 bracket rises to $6,663, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket climbs to $11,082. The school's pricing is the core value proposition.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $12,160 per year. At this price level, Wayne College serves as a cost-control option for local families who want Ohio public university affiliation without urban campus costs. Over four years that is roughly $48,640 - but given the 18.5% completion rate, four-year completion is the exception rather than the rule.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 51.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 57.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Akron Wayne College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
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 | 89.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 390-550 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-550 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-23 |
| Enrollment | 457 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 12.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,842 |
Wayne College admits 89.9% of applicants - near-open enrollment consistent with a branch campus model. SAT Math 390-550, SAT Reading 440-550, ACT 16-23. The wide range (16-23 ACT) spans from severely underprepared to average, meaning academic support resources are essential for student success.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Akron Wayne College (this school) | 48 | $6,032 | $46,600 |
| Montana State University-Northern | 55 | $12,664 | $49,505 |
| Oklahoma Panhandle State University | 53 | $7,413 | $44,933 |
| Mayville State University | 52 | $11,456 | $47,828 |
| University of Akron Main Campus | 38 | $13,946 | $46,600 |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 32 | $24,022 | $47,896 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See University of Akron Wayne College side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Wayne College fits students who need extreme affordability in northeast Ohio and are committed to completing a credential despite significant life obstacles. ACT 16-23; SAT Math 390-550, Reading 440-550, consistent with open-access design. Students who need to work full-time while attending should build a realistic completion timeline.
Transfer Pathways
Wayne College operates explicitly as a transfer gateway campus for the University of Akron main campus. Students can complete general education requirements at Wayne's low cost ($7,723 in-state tuition) before transferring to Akron Main for upper-division coursework in engineering, business, nursing, or education. This pathway is the most financially rational use of a Wayne College enrollment - treat it as two years of community college pricing before moving to a four-year program.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for University of Akron Wayne College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $6,032 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $46,600 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 14.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 18.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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.
University of Akron Wayne College: Common Questions
Is University of Akron Wayne College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. University of Akron Wayne College scores 48/100 on our ROI scale. At $6,032 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $46,600 ten years after entry, so it takes about 14.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Akron Wayne 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 $6,032 a year, or roughly $24,128 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 University of Akron Wayne College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,600 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,800 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 University of Akron Wayne 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 14.1 years for University of Akron Wayne College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Akron Wayne College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $33,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. 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 University of Akron Wayne College?
The six-year graduation rate is 18.5%. 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.