University of the Cumberlands
Williamsburg, Kentucky · Private Nonprofit · 98.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 41/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of the Cumberlands scores 41 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The defining metrics are $28,500 in average 6-year earnings, a 19.6-year payback period, and a 50.4% completion rate. Sticker tuition is $9,875 and the net price is $14,107. SAT and ACT data are not reported by the Scorecard for Cumberlands. Admission rate of 98.8% effectively means open access. Pell grant rate of 53.4% reflects a predominantly low-income student body in southeastern Kentucky's Appalachian region. Nursing (70 graduates) is the clear exception: $81,012 year one, $94,183 at four years, B-grade ROI. Accounting (48 graduates, $50,102 year one, B-grade ROI) and Business Administration (186 graduates, $46,242 year one, $59,760 at four years, C+-grade ROI) are functional. But the volume programs are weak: Psychology (133 graduates) earns $36,913 year one; Teacher Education (92 graduates) earns $35,470 year one; Human Services (109 graduates) earns $32,938 year one.
How University of the Cumberlands 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 Score41/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period19.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of the Cumberlands
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,875/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $9,875/yr |
| Average net price | $14,107/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $56,428 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,036 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,911 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $158 |
| Estimated payback period | 19.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 50.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,941 |
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: $9,875/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 $14,107/year, or roughly $56,428 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 $10,736/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,846/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $14,911, which works out to about $158 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,500) and comes to 0.52, 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 | $10,736 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,147 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,572 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,441 |
| $110,001+ | $18,846 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $10,736 per year at Cumberlands - a very low net price consistent with the school's Pell-heavy enrollment. Over four years that is roughly $42,944. For the majority of programs, even at this low net price, the 19.6-year payback period and $28,500 average earnings represent a poor expected return.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $12,572 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $16,441. These net prices are low and reflect the school's mission of broad access. Middle-income families at $12,000-16,000 per year should focus entirely on program selection: nursing and accounting can work; most other programs cannot produce a defensible return even at these low costs.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $18,846 per year - roughly $75,000 over four years. At a 19.6-year payback and $28,500 average earnings, even a relatively modest full-pay cost at Cumberlands produces a poor aggregate return.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of the Cumberlands with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $59,760 | C+ |
| Psychology | $40,751 | C |
| Human Services, General | $37,823 | C |
| Teacher Education | $40,093 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $94,183 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,660 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $40,725 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $41,785 | C |
| Accounting | $50,102 | B |
| Biology | $59,702 | 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 (70 graduates) dramatically outperforms the institution: $81,012 year one, $94,183 at four years, B-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.363, median debt $29,400). At a $14,107 net price, nursing at Cumberlands represents the clearest value proposition available at this institution. The four-year trajectory to $94,183 reflects charge nurse and specialty advancement. Southeastern Kentucky healthcare employers and the broader Appalachian healthcare workforce shortage create genuine demand for BSN graduates from this region.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration (186 graduates) earns $46,242 year one and $59,760 at four years - C+-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.459, median debt $21,219). This is the highest-volume program with above-institutional-average outcomes. The $59,760 four-year figure is modest but achievable for regional Kentucky business roles. At the $14,107 net price, the ROI case is functional for completers. The large volume reflects online enrollment that may include working adults upgrading credentials.
Psychology
Psychology (133 graduates) earns $36,913 year one and $40,751 at four years - C-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.589, median debt $21,750). Despite only a C-grade, the absolute numbers are poor. Year-one earnings of $36,913 in southeastern Kentucky come against $21,750 median debt and minimal four-year earnings growth, so the payback calculus is strained. Most psychology graduates need graduate clinical credentials for meaningful licensing, adding cost and time beyond the bachelor's degree.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (92 graduates) earns $35,470 year one and $40,093 at four years - C-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 0.642, median debt $22,782). Teacher Education at this net price is marginally defensible for students committed to serving Kentucky schools, but the debt-to-earnings ratio creates long-term financial constraints.
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Mental Health Services (41 graduates) earns $21,137 year one and $45,061 at four years - F-grade ROI (debt-to-earnings 1.076, median debt $22,750). Year-one earnings of $21,137 reflect entry-level mental health technician and case manager positions that do not require or reward the bachelor's credential with proportional pay. Southeastern Kentucky has high need for mental health services but limited funding and wage scales. The F-grade ROI reflects a genuine mismatch between the cost of education and the compensation structure of the field at entry.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 60.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of the Cumberlands’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 | 98.8% |
| Enrollment | 6,941 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 53.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,548 |
At 98.8%, Cumberlands is open access in practice. Scorecard does not report test score benchmarks. The real question is not admission but completion and program alignment. Half of enrolled students do not earn a degree. The very high Pell rate and Appalachian geographic context mean many students face significant non-academic barriers to completion. Students who commit to nursing or accounting completion and have financial and family support systems in place can achieve positive outcomes from this institution.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Cumberlands (this school) | 41 | $14,107 | $45,036 |
| Wilmington University | 51 | $15,644 | $53,844 |
| Franklin University | 37 | $25,243 | $51,892 |
| Colorado Christian University | 34 | $29,500 | $50,416 |
| Asbury University | 29 | $21,401 | $42,368 |
| Alice Lloyd College | 18 | $18,600 | $40,573 |
Who Thrives Here
Cumberlands is effectively open access at 98.8%. Scorecard does not report test scores. Enrollment of 6,941 is mid-sized, reflecting substantial online and adult enrollment alongside the traditional campus. The 53.4% Pell rate is very high and reflects the college's core mission serving first-generation, low-income students in southeastern Kentucky. The 50.4% completion rate and a large online enrollment component mean traditional completion metrics are complex to interpret. Students who enter nursing or accounting with clear career intentions have a path to positive outcomes.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of the Cumberlands scores 41/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $14,107 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,036 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 19.6 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 50.4% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 68.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $14,911 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52, 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.
University of the Cumberlands: Common Questions
Is University of the Cumberlands worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of the Cumberlands scores 41/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $14,107 a year after aid against $45,036 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 19.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of the Cumberlands 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 $14,107 a year, or roughly $56,428 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 the Cumberlands graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,036 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,236 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 the Cumberlands?
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 19.6 years for University of the Cumberlands. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of the Cumberlands graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,911, against average earnings of $28,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. 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 University of the Cumberlands?
The six-year graduation rate is 50.4%. 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.