Waldorf University
Forest City, Iowa · Private For-Profit · 77.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 40/100 · Poor Value
Waldorf University scores 40 in the Poor Value tier. Waldorf is a for-profit institution in Forest City, Iowa with heavy online enrollment dominated by working adults and first responders. The defining weakness is a 21.1% completion rate (sub-score 5), one of the worst in the dataset and a common pattern for for-profit online schools where many students enroll without finishing. Sticker tuition is $25,978, net price is $19,693, and total four-year cost is about $78,772. Median earnings six years after entry are $32,900, climbing to $51,165 by year ten, producing a 20.5% earnings premium (sub-score 43) and a 13.5-year payback period. Median debt of $18,752 (lower than typical for a private) yields a 0.570 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 59), which is decent. The 69.3% three-year repayment rate (sub-score 38) is weak. Waldorf's value case is unusual: its Fire Protection, Homeland Security, and Quality/Safety Technologies programs serve working first responders and produce genuinely strong A and B outcomes, but only because these students were already employed and used the credential for promotion. The school's traditional undergraduate value is much weaker.
The data raises concerns about Waldorf University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score40/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate21.1% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
Waldorf University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $25,978/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,978/yr |
| Average net price | $19,693/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $78,772 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,165 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,752 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $199 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 21.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,827 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Waldorf University is $25,978/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $19,693/year, or roughly $78,772 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,448/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,667/year.
The median graduate leaves with $18,752 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $199 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $51,165 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.57 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $16,448 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,378 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,045 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,244 |
| $110,001+ | $23,667 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $16,448 net per year ($65,792 over four years). With 36% Pell enrollment, this is a meaningful share of students. Pell partly covers costs, but the 21% completion rate means most low-income enrollees leave with debt and no credential, which is the systemic for-profit risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets show an inversion: $48,001-75,000 pays $23,045 - higher than the $75,001-110,000 bracket at $21,244. This is a clear bracket inversion to flag. Four-year cost runs $85,000-$92,000 across this band. The math only works if the student completes a high-ROI program.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $23,667 per year ($94,668 over four years). Aid scaling across brackets is roughly $7,000/year between bottom and top, which is moderate. At the top tier, families should evaluate Waldorf specifically against the first-responder credential value rather than as a general undergraduate option.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Waldorf University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $63,357 | C+ |
| Homeland Security | $76,520 | B |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $83,151 | B |
| Psychology | $50,184 | D |
| Fire Protection | $100,060 | A |
| Human Resources Management | $94,822 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,289 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $49,473 | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $46,923 | C |
| Teacher Education | $49,228 | - |
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.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration is the largest program at 114 graduates with $51,954 first-year and $63,357 four-year earnings. Debt of $27,000 and debt-to-earnings of 0.52 yield a C+ grade. The earnings reflect working-adult learners who upgraded credentials while already employed in business roles.
Homeland Security
Homeland Security graduates 107 students with $66,446 first-year and $76,520 four-year earnings. Debt is $23,437 and debt-to-earnings is 0.353 for a B grade. Strong outcomes driven by working DHS, TSA, and federal contractor personnel using the program for promotion.
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians
Quality/Safety Technologies graduates 103 students with $65,908 first-year and $83,151 four-year earnings. Debt of $23,047 and debt-to-earnings of 0.35 yield a B grade. Another strong working-professional credential, serving industrial safety officers and OSHA-track careers.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 76 students with $41,193 first-year and $50,184 four-year earnings. Debt is $29,136 and debt-to-earnings is 0.707 for a D grade. This is the modal traditional-undergraduate program at Waldorf and produces meaningfully weaker outcomes than the first-responder credentials.
Fire Protection
Fire Protection is the standout: 57 graduates with $97,731 first-year and $100,060 four-year earnings. Debt is $21,783 and debt-to-earnings is 0.223 for an A grade. These are A-tier outcomes driven by working firefighters - typically chief or captain candidates - who use the bachelor's for promotion to senior fire-service ranks where six-figure salaries are common.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 69.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 77.0% |
| Enrollment | 1,827 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,766 |
Waldorf admits 77.0% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with the school's online and adult-learner orientation that does not weight standardized testing. The 77% admit rate combined with a 21% completion rate is the classic for-profit pattern: easy entry, heavy attrition driven by financial pressure and the realities of working-adult study. Waldorf is technically classified as a for-profit institution, which matters for federal aid analysis and consumer-protection context.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Waldorf's peer set (Berkeley College Woodland Park, Strayer Florida, Berkeley New York, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Strayer Tennessee) is heavily weighted toward for-profit and adult-learner schools. Strayer Florida and Strayer Tennessee are the closest structural comps as online for-profit business schools. Berkeley locations are similar career-focused for-profits. Across this peer set, Waldorf's 40 score is mid-pack; its first-responder programs are unusually strong relative to peer for-profits, while its completion rate is comparable.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waldorf University (this school) | 40 | $19,693 | $51,165 |
| Strayer University-Florida | 24 | $16,064 | $40,092 |
| Berkeley College-Woodland Park | 16 | $27,100 | $40,251 |
| Berkeley College-New York | 16 | $34,124 | $45,884 |
| Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design | 13 | $32,363 | $42,958 |
| Strayer University-Tennessee | 11 | $11,645 | $40,092 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 1,827 with a 35.5% Pell rate. The student body is dominated by working professionals - especially firefighters, EMS, and public safety personnel - using Waldorf for career-advancement credentials. The school works strongly for these students entering Fire Protection, Homeland Security, or Quality/Safety Technologies, where outcomes are A and B grade. It works poorly for traditional 18-22-year-old undergraduate students, who face the 21% completion rate and weaker financial outcomes from programs like psychology.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Waldorf University. With a net cost of $19,693 per year and median graduate earnings of only $51,165 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 13.5 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 21.1% graduation rate and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $18,752 against $51,165 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.