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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri

32
F
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Poor value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Break-even
+$3,221 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

9.7 yrs
Break-even
+3%
10-year ROI
$56,979
Median earnings as of 2024
73% of Webster University students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$27,047
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$56,979
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$55,445
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$23,000
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
64%
Graduation rate as of 2024
73%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
66%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
69%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$3,221
After 10 years
$123,011
After 20 years
$242,801
After 30 years
$362,591
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$47,538
Men
$55,955

15% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$49,298
From higher-income families
$50,007

1% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$48,592
Independent students
$55,926

13% gap between the two groups

30%
First-generation students
46%
Take federal student loans
95%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 54%Hispanic 5%Asian 3%Black 13%Other 24%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$22,359
$30k–$48k$22,083
$48k–$75k$27,257
$75k–$110k$29,315
$110k+$31,314

How Webster University compares

This college against the Missouri and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Webster University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Webster University

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Computer ScienceAssociate's$90,966+750%Strong return
Management Information Systems and ServicesCertificate$102,692+433%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsProfessional$107,209$48,869+394%Strong return
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchCertificate$89,758+314%Strong return
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, OtherCertificate$89,469+311%Strong return
International Relations and National Security StudiesAssociate's$65,402+277%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate$85,075+270%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$103,380$177,721+238%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$87,617$50,555+237%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$62,958+232%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesCertificate$84,588$61,500+203%Strong return
International Relations and National Security StudiesCertificate$73,410$41,000+131%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$57,807$22,950+105%Strong return
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCertificate$70,025$40,294+104%Strong return
Non-Professional Legal StudiesAssociate's$55,982+103%Strong return
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationCertificate$68,568$59,664+81%Strong return
Communication and Media StudiesCertificate$67,594$48,635+79%Strong return
Educational/Instructional Media DesignCertificate$61,357+51%Break-even
Human Resources Management and ServicesCertificate$63,053$54,686+41%Break-even
Non-Professional Legal StudiesCertificate$56,150+3%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasCertificate$54,549$19,696-17%Poor return
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationAssociate's$48,750-31%Poor return
Legal Support ServicesCertificate$46,608-41%Poor return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$48,067$20,500-50%Poor return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsCertificate$48,758-65%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Webster University

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

86%
Admission rate
1,102
Average SAT
24
Median ACT
2,304
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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