University of Pikeville
Pikeville, Kentucky · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Pikeville scores 33 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The data is blunt: a 41.7% completion rate means fewer than half of enrollees earn a degree. Average 6-year earnings of $32,100 are low even against a $24,850 sticker tuition, producing a 16.7-year payback period. Repayment rate of 67.5% indicates a material share of graduates are not making progress on their loans. Admission rate and test score data are not reported by the Scorecard. Pikeville is a small Kentucky private (1,135 enrollment) with a 38% Pell grant rate, reflecting a student body with substantial financial need. Registered Nursing is the clear standout: 10 graduates, $82,878 year-one earnings, a B-grade ROI, though with high median debt of $33,618. Most other programs - Criminal Justice, Business Administration, Biology - show D-grade ROI with earnings in the high $20s to mid-$30s at year one. The school serves a rural Appalachian community with limited higher education alternatives, and that access mission is real. But prospective students should enter with clear information about the completion and earnings data.
How University of Pikeville 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Pikeville
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $24,850/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $24,850/yr |
| Average net price | $20,311/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $81,244 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,231 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,679 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $219 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,135 |
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: $24,850/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,311/year, or roughly $81,244 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 $13,115/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,755/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,679, which works out to about $219 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,100) and comes to 0.64, 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 | $13,115 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,160 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,075 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,065 |
| $110,001+ | $25,755 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $13,115 per year - roughly $52,000 over four years. Against average 6-year earnings of $32,100 and a 41.7% completion rate, this is a high-risk financial commitment. Low-income students who do not complete a degree at Pikeville will have spent $52,000 (much of it borrowed) without the credential. The repayment rate of 67.5% suggests a meaningful share of graduates struggle with loan repayment.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 75001-110000 bracket pays $24,065 per year - near full sticker. Four-year cost approaches $96,000. Against average earnings of $32,100, this is a very poor financial proposition for middle-income families.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $25,755 per year - effectively full price. In our view, the full-pay case at Pikeville is difficult to support on the Scorecard data, which shows 41.7% completion, $32,100 average 6-year earnings, and a 16.7-year payback period. Only students with very specific programmatic needs (nursing, primarily) can construct a defensible ROI case.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at University of Pikeville with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $49,971 | C |
| Biology | $71,225 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $41,524 | D |
| Teacher Education | $36,199 | C+ |
| Social Work | $41,979 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $82,878 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $39,943 | - |
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 Pikeville's strongest program by earnings: 10 graduates, $82,878 year-one, B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.406, median debt $33,618). Year-one earnings of $82,878 are strong and reflect Kentucky nursing market rates. The high median debt of $33,618 is the caution flag. The 4-year earnings data is not reported. For students committed to nursing in rural Kentucky, this is a viable pathway despite the debt level.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (49 graduates, the largest program) earns $36,213 year-one and $49,971 at year four (C grade, debt-to-earnings 0.690, median debt $25,000). Year-one earnings of $36k are modest for a business degree, reflecting the eastern Kentucky regional labor market. Debt-to-earnings of 0.690 is elevated. The four-year trajectory to $50k is limited upside.
Biology
Biology (30 graduates) earns $28,699 year-one and $71,225 at year four (D grade, debt-to-earnings 0.736, median debt $21,128). Year-one earnings are very low - most biology graduates here likely continue to professional or graduate school, explaining the eventual four-year figure of $71k. The near-term earnings picture is poor. Students planning graduate school should factor total debt carefully; those expecting bachelor's-level employment face a difficult immediate financial situation.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (22 graduates) earns $27,025 year-one and $41,524 at year four (D grade, debt-to-earnings 0.826, median debt $22,330). Year-one earnings cannot support standard debt service on $22,330 in loans. The four-year trajectory to $41k is modest improvement but still leaves a significant debt-income gap.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 67.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 47.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Pikeville’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
| Enrollment | 1,135 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,086 |
The Scorecard does not report Pikeville's admission rate or test score ranges. Based on enrollment profile and Pell grant rate, Pikeville operates as an open-access institution serving a regional market. The practical admissions question is less about selectivity and more about whether the student's intended program and financial plan are aligned with realistic completion and earnings outcomes.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pikeville (this school) | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| Piedmont University | 35 | $20,599 | $49,130 |
| Mount Aloysius College | 34 | $22,344 | $46,165 |
| Emory & Henry University | 33 | $19,061 | $47,385 |
| Asbury University | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Alice Lloyd College | 18 | $18,600 | $40,573 |
Who Thrives Here
Scorecard does not report Pikeville's admission rate or test score ranges. Enrollment is 1,135. The 38% Pell grant rate is high, indicating the school predominantly serves lower-income students. Pikeville's student body skews toward first-generation college students and students from eastern Kentucky's rural communities. The 41.7% completion rate signals that a large share of the student population faces challenges - financial, academic, and logistical - that prevent degree completion. Students with a specific health sciences goal (nursing in particular) will find a focused pathway; others face a more uncertain outcome.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Pikeville scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,311 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,231 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.7 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 41.7% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 67.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,679 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. 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 Pikeville: Common Questions
Is University of Pikeville worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Pikeville scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,311 a year after aid against $48,231 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of Pikeville 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 $20,311 a year, or roughly $81,244 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 Pikeville graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,231 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,431 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 Pikeville?
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 16.7 years for University of Pikeville. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Pikeville graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,679, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. 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 Pikeville?
The six-year graduation rate is 41.7%. 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.