William Carey University
Hattiesburg, Mississippi · Private Nonprofit · 60.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 34/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
William Carey University earns the Below Benchmark tier with an ROI score of 34 out of 100, but the institutional number masks substantial divergence by major. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi Baptist-affiliated university posts a sticker tuition of $15,480 with a $14,258 net price after aid, putting four-year costs at a relatively modest $57,032. The 24.4-year payback period is the headline drag: average 6-year earnings of just $34,000 don't recoup costs in a normal working-life window, though median 10-year earnings of $43,087 show some progression. Median debt of $20,832 produces a 0.613 debt-to-earnings ratio. The 59.8% completion rate is solid for a regional private school. Where William Carey actually delivers is in nursing and teacher education, both vocational programs feeding direct-to-job pipelines. The 62.3% three-year repayment rate is mediocre and suggests broader student financial stress beyond the strong programs. Students entering with a clear nursing or education trajectory get reasonable value; those drawn to liberal arts or psychology face concerning ROI math.
How William Carey University 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 Score34/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period24.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
William Carey University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,480/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,480/yr |
| Average net price | $14,258/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $57,032 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,087 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,832 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $221 |
| Estimated payback period | 24.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 59.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,201 |
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: $15,480/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $14,258/year, or roughly $57,032 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 $12,224/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,701/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,832, which works out to about $221 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,000) and comes to 0.61, 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 | $12,224 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,411 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,320 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,436 |
| $110,001+ | $19,701 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30K pay $12,224 net annually, with the $30,001-48,000 bracket essentially flat at $12,411. Four-year cost of $48K-$50K against $34,000 expected early-career earnings is workable for nursing-bound students, tight for others. Pell-eligible students should evaluate whether nursing program admission is realistic before enrolling.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $15,320 to $18,436 net annually, putting four-year costs near $61K-$74K. The math works for nursing and education completers but tightens substantially for non-vocational majors.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $19,701 net annually, or about $79K over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at William Carey University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $82,147 | B |
| Teacher Education | $42,389 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,152 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $51,866 | C |
| Biology | $46,598 | D |
| Psychology | $38,325 | F |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $61,978 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $51,430 | 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
Registered Nursing is William Carey's flagship program with 149 graduates per year, the largest cohort on campus. First-year median earnings of $73,469 climb to $82,147 by year four, against $31,000 median debt for a 0.422 debt-to-earnings ratio and B ROI grade. Mississippi and broader Gulf Coast nursing labor markets are tight, and William Carey's clinical partnerships with Forrest Health and other regional hospitals drive consistent placement. This is the reason to attend William Carey.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is William Carey's second-largest program with 112 graduates per year. First-year earnings of $39,520 climb to $42,389 by year four, with $20,754 median debt producing a 0.525 debt-to-earnings ratio and C+ ROI grade. Mississippi public-school teacher salaries cap the upside, but the reasonable debt level and PSLF eligibility for public-school employment make the program manageable for committed future teachers.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration has 44 graduates per year with first-year earnings of $40,598 climbing to $51,866 by year four. The $24,249 median debt produces a 0.597 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology has 47 graduates per year. First-year earnings of $24,182 are quite low against $22,916 median debt, producing a 0.948 debt-to-earnings ratio and D ROI grade. Year-four earnings of $47,152 show meaningful recovery, suggesting graduates either pursue physical therapy graduate programs or build into health/fitness management roles over time. Without a clear graduate-school plan this major is high-risk financially.
Psychology
Psychology has 32 graduates per year and the worst ROI math at William Carey. First-year earnings of $21,799 against $32,693 median debt create a 1.5 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Year-four earnings of $38,325 show modest improvement but never normalize the debt picture. Students serious about psychology need a graduate degree to enter clinical work; the bachelor's alone produces poor financial outcomes here.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 62.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How William Carey University’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 | 60.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-690 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-25 |
| Enrollment | 2,201 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 27.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,123 |
William Carey admits 60.3% of applicants, classifying as moderately selective. The middle 50% SAT range is 500-600 in math and 540-690 in reading, with an ACT range of 19-25. Those test bands are stronger than the regional Mississippi norm and align with the school's relatively healthy 59.8% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Carey University (this school) | 34 | $14,258 | $43,087 |
| Evangel University | 35 | $18,669 | $46,573 |
| Colorado Christian University | 34 | $29,500 | $50,416 |
| Lancaster Bible College | 34 | $25,480 | $44,096 |
| Bethel University | 34 | $12,595 | $47,482 |
| Mississippi College | 33 | $27,712 | $47,485 |
Who Thrives Here
The 59.8% completion rate is reasonable. Best fit for students entering with a clear vocational trajectory in nursing, teaching, or business administration; weaker fit for undecided students or those drawn to liberal arts where the post-graduation earnings math becomes difficult.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, William Carey University scores 34/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $14,258 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,087 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 24.4 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, a three-year loan repayment rate of 62.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,832 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, 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.
William Carey University: Common Questions
Is William Carey University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. William Carey University scores 34/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $14,258 a year after aid against $43,087 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 24.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does William Carey University 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 $14,258 a year, or roughly $57,032 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 William Carey University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,087 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,287 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 William Carey University?
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 24.4 years for William Carey University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do William Carey University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,832, against average earnings of $34,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. 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 William Carey University?
The six-year graduation rate is 59.8%. 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.