Wiley University
Marshall, Texas · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 5/100 · Poor Value
Wiley University posts an ROI score of 5 in the Poor Value tier, one of the lowest scores in the entire CampusROI dataset. The numbers tell a stark story: a 24.2% completion rate means three of every four enrolled students never finish a degree, and median graduate earnings of $26,400 six years out are actually below the high-school-only baseline (earnings premium of negative 6.5%). The 999-year payback period is the algorithm's way of saying earnings never recoup the cost of attendance; graduates here, on the typical numbers, do not catch up. Median debt of $24,989 against those earnings produces a 94.7% debt-to-earnings ratio, and the three-year repayment rate of 43.7% indicates more than half of borrowers are not actively paying down principal. The one thing the numbers do show in Wiley's favor is a relatively low net price of $7,092 -- this is a $12,500 tuition school with meaningful Pell-driven aid, not a $60,000 sticker scheme. Wiley is a small HBCU with a clear mission, and the institution serves a population that bears multiplied risks from a graduation-rate problem this severe. The financial math, however, is what it is.
The data raises concerns about Wiley University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score5/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate24.2% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Wiley University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $12,500/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $12,500/yr |
| Average net price | $7,092/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $28,368 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $33,159 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,989 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 24.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 712 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Wiley University is $12,500/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $7,092/year, or roughly $28,368 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $6,137/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $14,097/year.
The median graduate leaves with $24,989 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $265 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $33,159 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.95 - 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 | $6,137 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,098 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,776 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,251 |
| $110,001+ | $14,097 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $6,137 net -- the lowest bracket and roughly half the published tuition, with Pell grants doing most of the work. Four-year cost is about $24,500. That is genuinely affordable on paper. The problem is that 76% of enrollees never complete a degree, meaning low-income students bear high statistical risk of leaving with $15,000-$25,000 of partial-degree debt and the same wage prospects they had at enrollment.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families in the $48,001-$75,000 and $75,001-$110,000 brackets pay $8,776 and $12,251 respectively. Four-year cost rises to roughly $35,000-$49,000. Aid is still substantial relative to sticker, but middle-income students at Wiley face the same completion-rate problem as everyone else. With median earnings of $26,400 six years out, even the discounted price is hard to justify when public alternatives in Texas (Texas A&M Commerce, UT Tyler, Stephen F. Austin) offer materially better outcomes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $14,097 -- slightly more than the published tuition of $12,500, which is unusual and likely reflects how housing and fees factor into the income-weighted average. Four-year cost is about $56,400. At this income level, the case for Wiley becomes hard to make on financial terms alone; the better-resourced HBCU options (Howard, Spelman, Morehouse) or in-state Texas publics will produce stronger ROI.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Wiley University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $43,867 | F |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $36,678 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $35,424 | F |
| Sociology | $42,714 | - |
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, Management, and Operations
Business is Wiley's largest program at 31 graduates, with first-year earnings of $33,043 and four-year earnings of $43,867. Median debt of $35,324 is higher than the school-wide median, producing a 1.069 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. Debt exceeds first-year earnings, which is the canonical marker of a program where the math does not work even for students who complete the degree. Business graduates here would do markedly better at a Texas public university.
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
Multi-disciplinary studies graduates 28 students with first-year earnings of $24,629 and a 1.218 debt-to-earnings ratio -- the worst grade in the program list. Earnings at year four reach $36,678, still well below the $30,000 debt load. Multi-disciplinary majors at small private colleges often serve as catch-all paths for students who can't complete a more specialized track; the outcomes here are consistent with that pattern.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 12 graduates with $32,743 in first-year earnings and $37,457 in median debt -- a 1.144 ratio and F grade. The four-year earnings figure of $35,424 actually declines from year one to year four in real terms, suggesting graduates are not advancing meaningfully in their careers. Criminal justice degrees at private colleges generally underperform their public counterparts because the field's hiring is dominated by state and local agencies that don't pay an institutional premium.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 37.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 43.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 30.0% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 35.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 712 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 78.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,212 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data for Wiley, nor are SAT or ACT mid-ranges. Like many small HBCUs, Wiley operates with open or near-open admissions and does not require standardized test scores. The absence of selectivity signals doesn't, by itself, predict outcomes -- but combined with the 24.2% completion rate, it suggests the institution enrolls many students who arrive academically underprepared and then struggle to persist to graduation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Wiley's peer set is heavily weighted toward small private HBCUs and Christian colleges in the South. Stillman College, Lane College, and Tougaloo College face similar headwinds -- modest endowments, high Pell populations, low completion rates, and limited post-graduate earnings traction. Abilene Christian University is the outlier on the high end, a substantially larger and better-resourced institution that scores in a different tier entirely. Within the HBCU peer cluster, Wiley's score of 5 places it near the bottom; even Lane and Stillman, themselves under financial pressure, generally outperform on completion rate.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiley University (this school) | 5 | $7,092 | $33,159 |
| Bennett College | 6 | $28,299 | $36,654 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Mississippi Valley State University | 5 | $9,686 | $31,919 |
| Harris-Stowe State University | 5 | $9,922 | $31,088 |
| Langston University | 5 | $11,504 | $33,261 |
Who Thrives Here
Wiley enrolls 712 students with a 78.9% Pell grant rate -- one of the highest in the dataset and a clear marker of an institution serving a very low-income, mission-driven population. The school's small size, HBCU status, and Marshall, Texas location position it as a place of cultural and historical importance. For students who would not otherwise attend college and who can complete the degree, the relatively low net price softens the financial hit. But the 24.2% completion rate is the dominant variable: most students who enroll leave with debt and no credential. Prospective students should evaluate whether the institutional supports here are adequate to get them across the finish line.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Wiley University. With a net cost of $7,092 per year and median graduate earnings of only $33,159 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 24.2% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,989 against $33,159 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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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.