William Penn University
Oskaloosa, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 51.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 31/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
William Penn University, a small private nonprofit in Oskaloosa, Iowa, posts an ROI score of 31 - Below Benchmark tier. Founded in 1873 by Iowa Quakers, WPU enrolls 1,301 students. Sticker tuition is $29,750 with net price of $22,601 producing a $90,404 four-year all-in. Six-year average earnings are $36,900, climbing to a median $48,936 by year ten. The 16.5-year payback period and 0.607 debt-to-earnings ratio (median debt $22,415) reflect modest but workable debt loads. The most damaging input is completion rate (12) at just 32.6%. The 64% three-year repayment rate is also weak. WPU operates a substantial athletic-recruiting model that brings in students who are not always academically ready, contributing to the low completion. Education and most other programs post D-grade outcomes driven by debt levels relative to typical Iowa teacher and human services wages.
How William Penn 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 Score31/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate32.6% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period16.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
William Penn University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $29,750/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,750/yr |
| Average net price | $22,601/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $90,404 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,936 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,415 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $238 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 32.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,301 |
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: $29,750/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $22,601/year, or roughly $90,404 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 $20,608/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,916/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,415, which works out to about $238 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,900) 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 | $20,608 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,378 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,560 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,245 |
| $110,001+ | $25,916 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $20,608. With 47% Pell rate, this is a major segment of the student body. Four-year cost of about $82,000 against $36,900 six-year earnings is difficult math. Lower-income families should aggressively compare aid packages.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $19,378 - the lowest tier, with meaningful aid leverage. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket steps up modestly to $20,560.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $24,245 and $110,001-plus pays $25,916. Higher-income families lose the aid advantage and pay near-sticker. The value play is thin without athletic or specific program fit.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at William Penn University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $45,099 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $79,791 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,244 | D |
| Psychology | $49,929 | D |
| Biology | $53,683 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $76,625 | - |
| Sociology | $49,077 | D |
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 Administration is WPU's standout program, graduating 46 students with first-year earnings of $62,162 climbing to $79,791 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.434 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade. These outcomes are genuinely strong for a small Iowa private; graduates appear to land in regional Iowa business roles with solid wage trajectories. This program delivers on the institution's value proposition.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is the largest program with 62 graduates. First-year earnings of $40,049 climb only modestly to $45,099 by year four - consistent with Iowa teacher pay scales. Median debt of $32,642 (the highest in the program portfolio) produces a 0.815 ratio and D grade.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 35 students with $30,314 first-year earnings, $46,244 four-year out. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.891 ratio and D grade. The kinesiology program's enrollment is partly driven by WPU's athletic recruitment; bachelor's-only outcomes are weak, and graduate study (PT/OT/AT) is the typical value-creation path.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 21 students with $35,122 first-year earnings, $49,929 four-year out. Median debt of $27,443 produces a 0.781 ratio and D grade. Bachelor's-only psychology outcomes are constrained without graduate study. Students planning grad school should weigh undergraduate borrowing carefully.
Biology
Biology graduates 17 students with $36,449 first-year earnings, $53,683 four-year out. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.741 ratio and D grade. As elsewhere, biology often serves as pre-health pipeline; the bachelor's-only earnings figure understates value for students who continue to medical, PA, or other professional programs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How William Penn 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 | 51.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-570 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-22 |
| Enrollment | 1,301 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 47.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,394 |
WPU's admission rate is 51.9% - moderately selective on paper but heavily influenced by athletic recruiting. SAT mid-ranges are 430-540 Math and 450-570 Reading, with ACT 16-22. The relatively low admit rate paired with weak test scores suggests selective athletic admission rather than academic selectivity. The 33% completion rate is consistent with a heavily athlete-recruited student body where many students leave when athletic eligibility ends.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
WPU's score is 31.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Penn University (this school) | 31 | $22,601 | $48,936 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| McMurry University | 31 | $19,581 | $48,779 |
| Belhaven University | 29 | $15,676 | $46,440 |
Who Thrives Here
WPU enrolls 1,301 students with a Pell Grant rate of 47.3% - a fairly high-need student body. The fit case is narrow: a student-athlete using WPU as a path to combine athletic competition with degree completion, a future Iowa teacher accepting the trade-off of higher private cost for smaller classes and faith-tradition community, or a business-track student aimed at the strong B-grade Business program. Outcomes are highly major-dependent; students should target Business or Nursing rather than the broader liberal arts portfolio.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, William Penn University scores 31/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $22,601 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,936 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.5 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, its 32.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,415 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,900 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 Penn University: Common Questions
Is William Penn University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. William Penn University scores 31/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $22,601 a year after aid against $48,936 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does William Penn 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 $22,601 a year, or roughly $90,404 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 Penn University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,936 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,136 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 Penn 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 16.5 years for William Penn University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do William Penn University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,415, against average earnings of $36,900 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 Penn University?
The six-year graduation rate is 32.6%. 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.