Whitworth University
Spokane, Washington · Private Nonprofit · 89.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 55/100 · Below Average Value
Whitworth University earns a Below Average Value tier with an overall ROI score of 55 out of 100, a result that reflects a real tension between Whitworth's strengths and its price tag. The good news: 70.9% of students complete their degree, well above the national average, and that drives the strongest sub-score on the profile (80). The bad news: sticker tuition runs $52,880 per year, total four-year cost lands at $106,136, and the average net price is $26,534 per year even after aid. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $58,561, which beats most regional peers, but the debt-to-earnings ratio sits at 0.672 (debt-to-earnings sub-score of just 35), and the payback period stretches to 10.4 years. Whitworth's earnings premium relative to high school graduates is real but modest at 22.2%. The math here is the classic private-liberal-arts story: high completion and decent long-run earnings partially offset a heavy price, but families who pay close to sticker price will struggle to justify the spread on financial grounds alone. Repayment behavior is solid (78.6% making progress on debt within three years), suggesting graduates do honor their loans -- it just takes them a decade to break even.
Whitworth University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $52,880/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $52,880/yr |
| Average net price | $26,534/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $106,136 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $58,561 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 70.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,858 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Whitworth University is $52,880/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $26,534/year, or roughly $106,136 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,788/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,641/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $265 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $58,561 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.67 - 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 | $16,788 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,242 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,358 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,525 |
| $110,001+ | $34,641 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of $16,788 per year -- meaningfully below sticker but still a substantial commitment over four years (roughly $67,000). Combined with Whitworth's strong completion rate, this can pencil out for low-income students who target the higher-ROI majors. For students choosing humanities or arts paths, even this discounted price is hard to recoup quickly given the 10.4-year payback baseline.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $20,358 per year and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $26,525. That's about $80,000-$106,000 over four years -- a serious investment that requires confidence in major selection. The aid curve flattens noticeably across these brackets, so middle-income families are the ones most likely to feel they're getting the worst deal: too much income for need-based aid, not enough for full pay to feel comfortable.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning above $110,000 pay $34,641 per year on average, or roughly $139,000 over four years. At full or near-full pay, Whitworth's ROI math becomes unforgiving unless the student targets Nursing, Computer Science, Physics, or Accounting. Higher-income families should probably treat Whitworth as a fit-and-values choice rather than an ROI choice and weigh state flagships seriously.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Whitworth University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $60,010 | C |
| Psychology | $51,288 | D |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | $55,534 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $82,980 | B+ |
| Computer Science | $87,897 | B |
| Biology | $29,599 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $75,038 | C |
| English Language and Literature | $47,699 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $56,304 | C+ |
| Mathematics | $73,097 | C+ |
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 is Whitworth's clearest ROI win. Graduates earn a median of $78,417 just one year out and $82,980 by year four, against a median program debt of $24,950 -- a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.318, the lowest at the school. The B+ ROI grade understates how good this is relative to the school's overall 55 score. With 33 graduates per year, this is a substantive program, not a token offering, and the Pacific Northwest nursing job market remains strong.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is Whitworth's largest program at 61 graduates per year, but the financial math is sobering. Median earnings of $42,846 one year out and $60,010 at four years against $27,000 of debt produce a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Teaching is mission-aligned for many Whitworth students, but families should understand they're effectively paying private-college prices to enter a field with public-school salary ceilings.
Computer Science
Computer Science delivers solid ROI: $62,139 one year out, $87,897 at four years, with $27,000 in debt and a B grade. The 0.435 debt-to-earnings ratio is healthy. With 33 graduates per year, the program is sized appropriately for a school of this scale. Students targeting Pacific Northwest tech employment (Microsoft, Amazon, regional firms) will find this a defensible private-school choice.
Psychology
Psychology is the second-largest program at 52 graduates per year, but it carries a D ROI grade. Median earnings of $29,005 one year out and $51,288 at four years against $25,062 of debt produce a 0.864 debt-to-earnings ratio -- meaning debt is nearly as large as first-year earnings. Students drawn to psychology should plan for graduate school; the bachelor's alone does not generate enough earnings to make Whitworth's net price work.
Interdisciplinary Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies graduates 50 students per year with weak outcomes: $34,703 first-year earnings and $25,990 in debt for a D grade. The 0.749 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates start their careers with debt approaching 75% of annual earnings. This is a flexible program that works for students with clear post-graduate plans, but as a default major it produces difficult financial outcomes at Whitworth's price point.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 74.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.6% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 75.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 81.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 89.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-670 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-29 |
| Enrollment | 1,858 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 29.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,332 |
Whitworth admits 89.8% of applicants, so it functions as a near-open-access institution despite its private-college pricing. SAT mid-ranges (Math 540-660, Reading 550-670) and ACT (21-29) suggest a broad academic profile -- prepared students will find peers, but the entering class is academically heterogeneous. The high admit rate combined with a 70.9% completion rate is unusual and a credit to Whitworth's student support systems.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among Whitworth's named peers, Gonzaga University (also Spokane, also private Christian) is the most direct comparison and generally posts stronger earnings outcomes given its better-known brand and stronger STEM programs. Pacific University in Oregon competes on a similar private-liberal-arts model with comparable net prices. Southern Nazarene University and St. Francis College tend to enroll lower-income students at lower sticker prices but with weaker completion rates. Cornish College of the Arts is a fine-arts outlier where ROI math looks much worse. Whitworth's 55 score lands roughly in the middle of this peer band -- not a standout, not an outlier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitworth University (this school) | 55 | $26,534 | $58,561 |
| Gonzaga University | 81 | $35,119 | $78,892 |
| St. Francis College | 57 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Pacific University | 52 | $35,273 | $60,583 |
| Cornish College of the Arts | 17 | $40,062 | $33,696 |
Who Thrives Here
Whitworth fits a fairly specific student: someone drawn to a small Christian liberal-arts environment (enrollment is just 1,858), willing to invest in a high-touch undergraduate experience, and ideally targeting Nursing, Computer Science, or one of the quantitative majors where ROI grades hit B or B+. The 29.5% Pell rate is moderate -- Whitworth is not primarily serving low-income students, but it isn't exclusively wealthy either. Students aiming for humanities, religion, music, or psychology should run the net-price calculator carefully; many of those programs carry D or F ROI grades and the debt math gets ugly.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The financial case for Whitworth University is mixed. At $26,534 per year net cost, graduates earn a median of $58,561 ten years after entry - a payback period of 10.4 years. That's below the average return for four-year institutions, and prospective students should carefully consider whether the investment aligns with their financial goals.
Key strengths include a 70.9% graduation rate. However, the data also shows high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $25,000 against $58,561 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.