Bethune-Cookman University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bethune-Cookman University charges a net price of $12,030/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $48,120. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,518, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Bethune-Cookman University does not clear its cost — it ranks #91 of 166 Florida colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,030/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $48,120 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,518 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,842/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $31,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$244,960 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bethune-Cookman University's own numbers. Net price $12,030 × 4 years = $48,120 total. Median earnings $38,518 fall $9,842 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $48,120 bill in about 4.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Bethune-Cookman University students graduate with?
A median $31,000 in federal loans among completers, or 80% of the $38,518 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Bethune-Cookman University students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $48,120 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $155,226 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bethune-Cookman University expensive compared with other Florida colleges?
Its $12,030 net price runs $7,782 below the $19,812 median across the 166 Florida colleges we profile, and $31,128 less across the full degree.