Nelson University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Nelson University charges a net price of $21,662/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $86,648. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,238, 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, Nelson University does not clear its cost — it ranks #86 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $21,662/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $86,648 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,238 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,122/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,725 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$129,088 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Nelson University's own numbers. Net price $21,662 × 4 years = $86,648 total. Median earnings $46,238 fall $2,122 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 $86,648 bill in about 8.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Nelson University students graduate with?
A median $24,725 in federal loans among completers, or 53% of the $46,238 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Nelson University students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $86,648 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $206,305 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Nelson University expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $21,662 net price runs $2,303 above the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, or $9,212 more across the full degree.