Skip to content

Public · 4-year

Stephen F Austin State University

Nacogdoches, Texas

38
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

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

Break-even
+$21,720 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.

7.5 yrs
Break-even
+33%
10-year ROI
$53,729
Median earnings as of 2024
75% of Stephen F Austin State 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

$14,260
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$53,729
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$40,308
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$23,409
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
53%
Graduation rate as of 2024
75%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
70%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
72%
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.

$21,720
After 10 years
$109,010
After 20 years
$196,300
After 30 years
$283,590
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
$48,089
Men
$53,465

10% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$45,699
From higher-income families
$53,541

15% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$49,975
Independent students
$48,333

3% gap between the two groups

35%
First-generation students
41%
Take federal student loans
90%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 56%Hispanic 24%Asian 1%Black 12%Other 7%

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$10,318
$30k–$48k$11,023
$48k–$75k$13,100
$75k–$110k$17,609
$110k+$22,959

How Stephen F Austin State University compares

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

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Stephen F Austin State University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

Advertisement

Best-paying majors at Stephen F Austin State 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
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's$77,712+1,047%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$86,054$25,000+991%Strong return
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$76,867$24,000+755%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$70,731$21,864+605%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$70,640$22,250+600%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate$82,288$17,860+487%Strong return
MathematicsAssociate's$58,594+377%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$62,123$22,561+366%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$69,275+326%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionCertificate$68,305$20,500+261%Strong return
Political Science and GovernmentAssociate's$57,886$20,375+259%Strong return
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and ManagementAssociate's$58,015$26,500+241%Strong return
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesCertificate$68,063$31,855+236%Strong return
MusicAssociate's$57,180$26,000+221%Strong return
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchAssociate's$55,132$24,337+171%Strong return
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesAssociate's$54,598$19,500+169%Strong return
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's$54,769$22,750+165%Strong return
HistoryAssociate's$53,714$25,000+132%Strong return
MarketingAssociate's$53,325$22,253+127%Strong return
Business/Commerce, GeneralAssociate's$53,002$22,750+117%Strong return
Special Education and TeachingCertificate$58,753$18,555+116%Strong return
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$52,443$24,121+100%Strong return
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing OperationsAssociate's$50,026+76%Strong return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsCertificate$56,920$32,569+73%Strong return
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherAssociate's$51,172$24,500+65%Break-even

Calculate your own ROI

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

ROI at Stephen F Austin State 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

Advertisement

Admissions & profile

94%
Admission rate
1,066
Average SAT
21
Median ACT
8,728
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.

More colleges in Texas