University of the Cumberlands — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of the Cumberlands charges a net price of $14,107/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $56,428. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,036, 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, University of the Cumberlands does not clear its cost — it ranks #17 of 51 Kentucky colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,107/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $56,428 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,036 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,324/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,911 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$122,908 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of the Cumberlands's own numbers. Net price $14,107 × 4 years = $56,428 total. Median earnings $45,036 fall $3,324 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 $56,428 bill in about 5.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of the Cumberlands students graduate with?
A median $14,911 in federal loans among completers, or 33% of the $45,036 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of University of the Cumberlands students graduate?
50% finish their degree — 50% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $56,428 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $112,856 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of the Cumberlands expensive compared with other Kentucky colleges?
Its $14,107 net price runs $0 above the $14,107 median across the 51 Kentucky colleges we profile, or $0 more across the full degree.