10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$218,584at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Cornerstone University
⌖ Grand Rapids, MI · 16 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
10-year estimate · Negative payoff
−$218,584 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
With these assumptions, the added earnings do not recover the cost within ten years.
61.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−84%Modeled 10-year ROI
$49,262Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedMaximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
What the numbers say about Cornerstone University
What does Cornerstone University cost?
Cornerstone University reports an average annual net price of $20,301 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Cornerstone University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $49,262 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Cornerstone University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $25,000. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Cornerstone University worth the same?
No. DegreeVerdict currently shows 16 field-and-credential outcomes at Cornerstone University; reported earnings and debt can differ substantially by program category.
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$137,380
$8,000Annual price−$169,380
$16,000Annual price−$201,380
$20,000Current college-wide context−$217,380
$24,000Annual price−$233,380
$32,000Annual price−$265,380
$40,000Annual price−$297,380
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
Cost, debt, completion and earnings context
$20,301Average net price / year
$42,043Cost of attendance
$25,000Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$265/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$49,262Median earnings · year 5 after completion
61.9%Completion rate
77.8%Admission rate
1,298Student size
Institution debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded; missing and privacy-suppressed values remain unavailable.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use only reportable field-and-credential records at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$42,379Year 1
$53,010Year 4
$49,262Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$79,4722Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's Degree$67,1483Marketing · Bachelor's Degree$62,7824Theological and Ministerial Studies · Master's Degree$61,8385Business Administration, Management and Operations · Associate's Degree$61,0676Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's Degree$56,2317Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology · Master's Degree$55,7918Radio, Television, and Digital Communication · Bachelor's Degree$54,344Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree · $61,067 reported+25%vs same-degree national median$28,200federal debt2Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationBachelor's Degree · $54,344 reported+8%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree · $56,231 reported+3%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt4Social WorkBachelor's Degree · $52,568 reported+2%vs same-degree national median$25,000federal debt5Theological and Ministerial StudiesMaster's Degree · $61,838 reported+1%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree · $47,341 reported-0%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt
Comparable colleges in MI
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Spring Arbor, MI
Spring Arbor University
- Annual net price
- $19,353
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,641
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -78%
Alma College
- Annual net price
- $20,694
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,066
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -73%
Rochester Christian University
- Annual net price
- $21,456
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $46,423
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -95%
Aquinas College
- Annual net price
- $16,626
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,194
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -71%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2023–24 awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $79,472 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $67,148 | $28,750 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $62,782 | $21,488 | Not reported |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Master's Degree | $61,838 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | $61,067 | $28,200 | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $56,231 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $55,791 | Not available | Not reported |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $54,344 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $52,568 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Master's Degree | $51,886 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $48,923 | $25,125 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $47,933 | $37,854 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $47,341 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $45,673 | $29,000 | Not reported |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | Bachelor's Degree | $38,298 | Not available | Not reported |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $43,009 | Not reported |
Awards use first-major IPEDS completions aggregated to the same four-digit field and credential.
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.