University of Mount Union
Alliance, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 78.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 44/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Mount Union scores 44 on the CampusROI scale, landing just inside the Below Benchmark tier despite having several genuine strengths. Sticker tuition is $36,600 but net price drops to $23,280, putting four-year cost at about $93,120 - meaningfully cheaper than the typical Ohio private. Completion rate is 58.7% (sub-score 58), which is solid for a small-town private, and the 80.3% three-year repayment rate (sub-score 72) signals graduates can actually service their debt. Average earnings six years after entry are $36,600 and climb to a median $53,217 by year ten, yielding a 19.6% earnings premium and a 12.8-year payback period. The pressure point is debt-to-earnings of 0.738 on $27,000 of median debt (sub-score 23): nearly every program shows $27,000 of debt, suggesting that's the Stafford cap rather than a school-specific borrowing problem, but it still presses against early-career earnings. Mount Union's nursing and engineering pipelines are genuinely strong; the broader liberal arts and education paths produce the modest earnings that pull the overall score down.
How University of Mount Union 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 Score44/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
University of Mount Union
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $36,600/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,600/yr |
| Average net price | $23,280/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $93,120 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,217 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 58.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,995 |
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: $36,600/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $23,280/year, or roughly $93,120 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 $16,786/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,495/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,600) and comes to 0.74, 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 | $16,786 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,428 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,741 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,474 |
| $110,001+ | $26,495 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $16,786 net per year, about $67,144 over four years. That is a real discount from sticker and is achievable with Pell plus institutional aid. The brackets are slightly non-monotonic ($48,001-75,000 at $17,741 is less than $30,001-48,000 at $19,428), which is unusual but small enough to be a sample-size artifact rather than intentional policy.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-110,000) pay $17,741 to $23,474 per year, with the $75,001-110,000 jump (to $23,474) being where aid drops off most meaningfully. Against $36,600 six-year earnings, the math is workable if the student enters a productive program.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $26,495 per year (about $106,000 over four years).
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Mount Union with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $60,728 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $85,186 | B |
| Teacher Education | $44,001 | D |
| Biology | $61,213 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $80,777 | C+ |
| Marketing | $66,830 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $68,305 | C |
| Psychology | $51,316 | D |
| Accounting | $80,429 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $55,751 | 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
Nursing graduates 49 students with $70,141 first-year earnings and $85,186 by year four. Debt is $27,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.385 for a B grade. Strong Ohio hospital placement and clinical partnerships drive these numbers; this is one of the cleanest ROI cases at Mount Union.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the largest program at 63 graduates and shows the typical problem: $33,631 first-year earnings, $60,728 by year four, $27,000 of debt, and a 0.803 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. Without continuation into PT, OT, or athletic training, kinesiology earnings stall at the school's Ohio market median.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 38 students earning $38,277 in year one and $44,001 by year four - the flattest four-year curve. Debt is $27,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.705 for a D grade. This reflects Ohio teacher salary scales rather than program quality; the credential works professionally but the financial picture is structurally weak.
Biology
Biology graduates 27 students with $33,433 first-year and $61,213 four-year earnings. Debt-to-earnings of 0.808 yields a D. The strong four-year jump suggests many graduates continue to graduate or professional school; for those who do not, the bachelor's alone produces weak ROI math.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates 26 students with $51,503 in year one and $80,777 by year four. Debt of $27,000 and debt-to-earnings of 0.524 yield a C+ grade. The 57% earnings jump from year one to year four is unusually strong and suggests graduates are landing in commission-driven or career-track corporate finance roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Mount Union’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 | 78.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 1,995 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 27.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,830 |
Mount Union admits 78.2% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 450-620 (math) and 460-620 (reading) and ACT composite mid-range of 18-25.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mount Union (this school) | 44 | $23,280 | $53,217 |
| Bob Jones University | 47 | $16,641 | $44,354 |
| Arcadia University | 46 | $29,466 | $58,336 |
| Concordia University-Wisconsin | 43 | $36,201 | $56,075 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 1,995 with a 27.8% Pell rate - a moderately middle-class student body for a small Ohio private. The school works best for students entering its credentialed pipelines: RN, mechanical engineering, accounting, finance. It works less well for students pursuing teacher education or kinesiology, where earnings stay flat and debt burdens consume too much of early-career income. The 80% repayment rate suggests graduates who do finish are landing in stable Ohio middle-class jobs.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Mount Union scores 44/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $23,280 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $53,217 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12.8 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, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74. 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 Mount Union: Common Questions
Is University of Mount Union worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Mount Union scores 44/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $23,280 a year after aid against $53,217 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of Mount Union 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 $23,280 a year, or roughly $93,120 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 Mount Union graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $53,217 ten years after enrolling, roughly $11,417 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 Mount Union?
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 12.8 years for University of Mount Union. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Mount Union graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $36,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74. 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 Mount Union?
The six-year graduation rate is 58.7%. 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.