Gardner-Webb University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Gardner-Webb University charges a net price of $17,674/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $70,696. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,039, 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, Gardner-Webb University does not clear its cost — it ranks #24 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,674/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $70,696 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,039 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$321/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,222 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$77,116 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Gardner-Webb University's own numbers. Net price $17,674 × 4 years = $70,696 total. Median earnings $48,039 fall $321 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 $70,696 bill in about 7.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Gardner-Webb University students graduate with?
A median $24,222 in federal loans among completers, or 50% of the $48,039 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Gardner-Webb University students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $70,696 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $128,538 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Gardner-Webb University expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $17,674 net price runs $6,828 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $27,312 more across the full degree.