Oakwood University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Oakwood University charges a net price of $25,669/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $102,676. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,488, 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, Oakwood University does not clear its cost — it ranks #23 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $25,669/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $102,676 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,488 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,872/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$220,116 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Oakwood University's own numbers. Net price $25,669 × 4 years = $102,676 total. Median earnings $42,488 fall $5,872 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 $102,676 bill in about 10.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Oakwood University students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 64% of the $42,488 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Oakwood University students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $102,676 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $228,169 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Oakwood University expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $25,669 net price runs $11,101 above the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, or $44,402 more across the full degree.