Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska · Public
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Wayne State College (WSC) is a small public liberal arts college in Wayne, Nebraska, enrolling about 3,010 students. WSC's in-state tuition is $8,216 and its net price is $15,360. Its ROI score of 46 (Below Average Value) reflects structural challenges: average six-year earnings of $33,700 and a payback period of 16.7 years, driven partly by a program mix concentrated in lower-earning fields. Median debt of $19,000 is low. The school's location in a rural Nebraska town means graduates either stay in the regional economy - agriculture, education, government, manufacturing - or leave for Omaha, Lincoln, or national markets. Programs in industrial technology, business, and criminal justice show solid local-market returns. Communication and kinesiology show ratios near or above 0.70, the threshold where repayment pressure becomes material.
How Wayne State 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.
- Payback period16.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Wayne State College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,216/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,216/yr |
| Average net price | $15,360/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $61,440 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,075 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $201 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,010 |
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: $8,216/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 $15,360/year, or roughly $61,440 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 $12,844/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,905/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,000, which works out to about $201 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,700) and comes to 0.56, 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 | $12,844 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,698 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,851 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,841 |
| $110,001+ | $18,905 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income students (under $30,000) pay $12,844 net. Four-year investment approaches $51,000. With average six-year earnings of $33,700, the 16.7-year payback is the primary financial concern at WSC. Low-income students who choose high-earnings programs (industrial technology, business) cut that timeline substantially. Nebraska-specific scholarships and the Heartland Scholarship for rural students may further reduce costs.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $48,000 band pays the lowest net price at WSC: $11,698. Four-year cost is roughly $47,000. For Nebraska families in this income bracket, WSC's value proposition is genuine if the student is committed to a career path aligned with the regional economy. The 81.8% seven-year repayment rate is an encouraging signal that WSC graduates manage their modest debt load responsibly.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $18,905 net. Four-year cost approaches $76,000.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Wayne State College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $57,178 | B |
| Teacher Education | $43,369 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $55,485 | C |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $48,581 | C |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $68,431 | C+ |
| Biology | $58,609 | C |
| Clinical Psychology | $41,391 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,746 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $35,833 | D |
| Information Science | $59,871 | - |
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.
Industrial Production Technologies
Industrial Production Technologies (43 graduates) earns $54,600 at one year and $68,431 at four years - WSC's top-earning program. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 earns a C+ grade. This program directly feeds Nebraska and regional manufacturing, food processing, and energy sector employers. The skills-to-salary alignment is the best in WSC's catalog, and the $25,000 median debt is manageable at these wages.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (155 graduates - the largest cohort at WSC) earns $43,490 at one year and $57,178 at four, with $18,250 median debt and a 0.42 ratio (B grade). WSC's business program places graduates primarily in Nebraska and South Dakota regional employers - agribusiness, banking, insurance, and municipal government. At under $16,000 net price, the business ROI is respectable even with modest earnings ceilings.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (77 graduates) earns $41,869 at one year and $55,485 at four, with $25,000 median debt and a 0.60 ratio (C grade). WSC places graduates in law enforcement, corrections, and public safety across Nebraska and surrounding states. At the school's low net price, criminal justice offers a reasonable earnings-to-cost ratio. State and federal law enforcement positions with benefits packages further improve lifetime ROI for graduates who pursue them.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (84 graduates - the second-largest cohort) earns $41,322 at one year, with $19,500 median debt and a 0.47 ratio (C+ grade). Nebraska teacher shortages, particularly in rural districts, create reliable placement for WSC education graduates. PSLF eligibility in public school employment and Nebraska's loan forgiveness incentives for rural placements improve the net financial picture beyond the raw ratio.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Subject-specific Teacher Education (63 graduates) earns $42,589 at one year and $48,581 at four, with $25,957 median debt and a 0.61 ratio (C grade). Students in secondary education with STEM concentrations - math, science - typically command higher salary schedules and faster advancement, improving the ratio over career timelines.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 73.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 76.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Wayne State College’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 | 3,010 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 25.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,347 |
WSC does not publish an admission rate or test score ranges. Admission is based on high school completion requirements. The Nebraska state system's guaranteed admission standards apply. Students with technical or vocational goals can benefit from WSC's industrial technology programs, which are uncommon for a liberal arts-focused public college.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
WSC's three-year repayment rate is 81.8%. Completion rate (52.2%) and payback period (16.7 years) are the primary drag metrics.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne State College (this school) | 46 | $15,360 | $47,075 |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | 55 | $16,242 | $50,105 |
| Chadron State College | 50 | $12,549 | $47,002 |
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 48 | $8,039 | $45,079 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | 46 | $14,459 | $45,744 |
| Western Oregon University | 45 | $17,237 | $51,815 |
Who Thrives Here
WSC suits students from rural Nebraska and the northern plains who want a manageable-sized public college with competitive athletics and a traditional campus experience. Education majors benefit from strong regional school district placement. Business and industrial technology students access Midwest manufacturing and corporate networks. Students attracted to WSC's low price but who aspire to metro-market careers in tech, finance, or healthcare should plan their post-graduation location strategy early, as Wayne's local economy limits some sector placements.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Wayne State College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $15,360 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $47,075 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 16.7 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: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 52.1% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56, 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.
Wayne State College: Common Questions
Is Wayne State College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Wayne State College scores 46/100 on our ROI scale. At $15,360 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $47,075 ten years after entry, so it takes about 16.7 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Wayne State 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 $15,360 a year, or roughly $61,440 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 Wayne State College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $47,075 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,275 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 Wayne State 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 16.7 years for Wayne State College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Wayne State College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,000, against average earnings of $33,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. 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 Wayne State College?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.1%. 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.