Wingate University
Wingate, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 91.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 41/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Wingate University posts an ROI score of 41 in the Below Benchmark tier, a result that masks meaningful internal variation. The school-wide average graduate earns $36,000 six years out and a median $52,649 by year ten, with a 12.6-year payback period and a 46.4% completion rate. Sticker tuition is $41,636 and net price drops sharply to $20,748 - an institutional discount of roughly 50%. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 69.4% debt-to-earnings ratio. The story underneath the headline numbers is more nuanced: nursing graduates clear $68,000 in year one, pre-health and accounting graduates clear $50,000+, and these high-performing tracks pull the school's reputation upward. But the largest enrollment majors - kinesiology (70 grads), psychology (66), biology (51) - post D grades with debt-to-earnings ratios near or above 0.9. The school is a tale of two student populations: those in pre-professional and health pipelines see solid ROI, while those in the bigger generalist majors face the same private-college squeeze visible across the sector.
How Wingate 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 Score41/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Wingate University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,636/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,636/yr |
| Average net price | $20,748/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $82,992 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,649 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,668 |
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: $41,636/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,748/year, or roughly $82,992 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 $18,772/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,759/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,000) and comes to 0.69, 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 | $18,772 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,092 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,865 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,651 |
| $110,001+ | $24,759 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $18,772 net. Four-year cost is about $75,100. With Pell, Wingate's institutional aid, and the school's high Pell-serving culture, low-income students get meaningful pricing. The risk is the 46% completion rate: Pell-eligible students bear concentrated odds of leaving with partial debt. For those who finish and enter nursing or pre-health, the math works strongly.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families in the $48,001-$75,000 bracket pay $18,865 - essentially flat with the lowest two brackets, which indicates Wingate's aid budget extends meaningfully into the middle class. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $21,651. Four-year cost ranges from $75,500 to $86,600. This is an aid-generous middle-income profile, and for finishers in strong majors, the value proposition is genuinely viable.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $24,759 - still a meaningful discount off the $41,636 sticker. Four-year cost is about $99,000. The bracket curve is smooth and progressive (no inversions). Wingate's case for high-income families rests on program-specific strength in nursing and pre-health.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Wingate University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $52,822 | D |
| Psychology | $45,795 | D |
| Biology | $58,623 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,082 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $62,075 | C |
| Human Services, General | $45,558 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $68,636 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $67,315 | C+ |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $54,129 | C |
| Accounting | $73,805 | 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 Wingate's flagship outcomes program: 25 graduates earning $68,877 in year one and $68,636 by year four - earnings essentially flat between years one and four, which is typical for nursing as graduates hit the staff RN wage band quickly. The 0.392 debt-to-earnings ratio on $27,000 in debt produces a B grade. This is the program that justifies Wingate's price tag; students who complete the BSN here see strong, immediate ROI.
Accounting
Accounting produces 20 graduates with $51,437 in first-year earnings and $73,805 by year four. The 0.486 debt-to-earnings ratio and C+ grade reflect a program where the math works comfortably. North Carolina has a strong public-accounting hiring market in Charlotte and Raleigh, and Wingate's grads place into that pipeline. For business-bound students at Wingate, accounting is the highest-ROI track.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Wingate's largest business program at 38 graduates, with $42,476 in first-year earnings and $67,082 by year four. The 0.636 debt-to-earnings ratio and C grade indicate a program that works for students who are intentional about post-graduation roles. Earnings growth from year one to year four is strong (+58%), suggesting graduates are advancing in their careers rather than getting stuck.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is Wingate's largest program by graduate count at 70 students, with $28,551 in first-year earnings and a 0.876 debt-to-earnings ratio - a D grade. Year-four earnings recover to $52,822, but the early-career squeeze is severe. Kinesiology is typically a stepping stone to physical therapy or athletic training graduate programs; students stopping at the bachelor's face a tough first decade financially. The large enrollment in this major drags Wingate's school-wide ROI score considerably.
Psychology
Psychology produces 66 graduates with $26,988 in first-year earnings and a 0.945 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year earnings figure of $45,795 doesn't catch up to debt levels in a useful timeframe. As with most psychology bachelor's degrees, the program serves students bound for graduate study in clinical or counseling psychology; bachelor's-only psychology graduates anywhere face thin labor-market value, and the same is true at Wingate.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Wingate 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 | 91.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 2,668 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 44.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,244 |
Wingate admits 91.1% of applicants, putting it firmly in the open-access tier. Mid-50% SATs of 500-600 math and 510-610 reading, with ACT composite 18-25, suggest an academic profile that includes many students who would benefit from substantial academic support to persist. The 46.4% completion rate is consistent with that admissions profile - the school admits a wide range of preparation levels and roughly half complete the degree. Students arriving at the higher end of the SAT range will have meaningfully better odds of finishing and capturing the upside in nursing, accounting, or pre-health.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingate University (this school) | 41 | $20,748 | $52,649 |
| Loyola University New Orleans | 42 | $23,696 | $52,927 |
| Eastern University | 37 | $26,662 | $51,655 |
| Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel | 29 | $4,156 | $31,853 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
Who Thrives Here
Wingate enrolls 2,668 students with a 44.2% Pell grant rate - high, reflecting a substantial low-income population. The Wingate, North Carolina location and the school's strengths in nursing, pharmacy (graduate level), and pre-health programs make it a fit for healthcare-bound students from the Carolinas and surrounding states. The data is clear about what works: students entering nursing, accounting, pre-health, or finance see B and C+ grades with first-year earnings of $50,000+.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Wingate University scores 41/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,748 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $52,649 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12.6 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: its 46.4% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Wingate University: Common Questions
Is Wingate University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Wingate University scores 41/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,748 a year after aid against $52,649 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Wingate 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 $20,748 a year, or roughly $82,992 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 Wingate University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $52,649 ten years after enrolling, roughly $10,849 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 Wingate 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 12.6 years for Wingate University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Wingate University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Wingate University?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.4%. 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.