10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$225,988at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Liberty University
⌖ Lynchburg, VA · 97 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
10-year estimate · Negative payoff
−$225,988 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.
41.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
−76%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,144Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedMaximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
What the numbers say about Liberty University
What does Liberty University cost?
Liberty University reports an average annual net price of $29,357 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Liberty University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $52,144 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Liberty University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $24,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Liberty University worth the same?
No. DegreeVerdict currently shows 97 field-and-credential outcomes at Liberty 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−$108,560
$8,000Annual price−$140,560
$16,000Annual price−$172,560
$24,000Annual price−$204,560
$29,000Current college-wide context−$224,560
$32,000Annual price−$236,560
$40,000Annual price−$268,560
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- 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
$29,357Average net price / year
$42,025Cost of attendance
$24,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$260/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$52,144Median earnings · year 5 after completion
65.3%Completion rate
99.0%Admission rate
50,012Student size
Institution debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded; missing and privacy-suppressed values remain unavailable.
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
38% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
2,719 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
32% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$36,325Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$50,559Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$57,378Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income25%
Middle income44%
Higher income64%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Air Transportation.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 49
$64,031Year 1
$108,824Year 5
$114,157Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$50,829Year 1
$95,216Year 5
$110,650Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$71,814Year 1
$86,959Year 5
$105,142Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 13
$74,251Year 1
$82,956Year 5
$104,958Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$60,428Year 1
$97,417Year 5
$103,697Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 26
$31,371Year 1
$59,391Year 5
$94,389Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$66,196Year 1
$81,482Year 5
$93,137Year 10
Law.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 22
$59,391Year 1
$79,459Year 5
$91,385Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
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
$44,414Year 1
$57,700Year 4
$52,144Year 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.
1Medicine · Doctoral Degree$176,7422Design and Applied Arts · Master's Degree$112,9353Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations · Master's Degree$107,8284Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$107,2455Air Transportation · Bachelor's Degree$102,0966Management Information Systems and Services · Master's Degree$101,3497Industrial Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$94,9288Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$90,025Observed 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.
1Design and Applied ArtsMaster's Degree · $112,935 reported+61%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2MedicineDoctoral Degree · $176,742 reported+49%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Religious Music and WorshipBachelor's Degree · $51,701 reported+25%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt4Air TransportationBachelor's Degree · $102,096 reported+19%vs same-degree national median$24,874federal debt5MathematicsBachelor's Degree · $81,095 reported+17%vs same-degree national median$27,500federal debt6Legal Support ServicesAssociate's Degree · $51,877 reported+16%vs same-degree national median$30,500federal debt
Comparable colleges in VA
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.
Ashland, VA
Randolph-Macon College
- Annual net price
- $27,866
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,369
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -58%
Eastern Mennonite University
- Annual net price
- $24,588
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,110
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -67%
Bluefield University
- Annual net price
- $25,573
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $47,950
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -90%
Shenandoah University
- Annual net price
- $30,298
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $60,910
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -47%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2023–24 awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Doctoral Degree | $176,742 | Not available | 145 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Master's Degree | $112,935 | Not available | Not reported |
| Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | Master's Degree | $107,828 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $107,245 | Not available | Not reported |
| Air Transportation | Bachelor's Degree | $102,096 | $24,874 | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Master's Degree | $101,349 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,928 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $90,025 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $89,244 | $26,899 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $89,129 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $84,228 | $31,000 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $83,093 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $82,883 | $27,457 | 139 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $82,116 | $28,068 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $81,095 | $27,500 | Not reported |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $78,054 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $76,969 | Not available | 487 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $75,900 | Not available | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Master's Degree | $75,034 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $74,482 | Not available | Not reported |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Doctoral Degree | $73,065 | Not available | 378 |
| Biology, General | Master's Degree | $72,854 | Not available | Not reported |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's Degree | $72,389 | Not available | Not reported |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $71,436 | $21,750 | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $69,247 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $67,269 | $29,166 | 644 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $64,314 | Not available | 106 |
| Marketing | Master's Degree | $63,586 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $63,307 | $32,183 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $62,205 | Not available | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $61,715 | $29,728 | 81 |
| History | Master's Degree | $59,708 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,969 | $33,345 | Not reported |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Master's Degree | $58,750 | Not available | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $58,040 | Not available | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $57,678 | Not available | Not reported |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $57,647 | Not available | Not reported |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Master's Degree | $57,573 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $56,966 | Not available | Not reported |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Master's Degree | $56,700 | Not available | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $56,550 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Associate's Degree | $56,274 | $28,521 | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $56,174 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Master's Degree | $55,451 | Not available | 1 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $54,911 | $23,250 | 28 |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's Degree | $54,647 | $28,416 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's Degree | $53,803 | $28,917 | Not reported |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $53,721 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Master's Degree | $53,516 | Not available | Not reported |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $53,357 | $28,375 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $52,482 | Not available | 1 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $51,976 | Not available | 41 |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | $51,940 | Not available | Not reported |
| Legal Support Services | Associate's Degree | $51,877 | $30,500 | Not reported |
| Religion/Religious Studies | Associate's Degree | $51,737 | $29,250 | Not reported |
| Religious Music and Worship | Bachelor's Degree | $51,701 | $27,000 | 3 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Doctoral Degree | $51,327 | Not available | 392 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $51,061 | $25,645 | 15 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $50,891 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $50,666 | $23,299 | Not reported |
| Religious Education | Master's Degree | $49,751 | Not available | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $49,103 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $48,926 | $27,000 | 43 |
| Legal Support Services | Bachelor's Degree | $48,589 | $37,652 | Not reported |
| American Sign Language | Bachelor's Degree | $48,109 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $48,003 | $29,000 | Not reported |
| Religion/Religious Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $47,991 | $36,495 | 12 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $47,797 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Associate's Degree | $47,394 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Bachelor's Degree | $47,241 | $29,875 | 47 |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $47,160 | $22,274 | 36 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Bachelor's Degree | $46,899 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | Bachelor's Degree | $46,531 | $23,750 | 79 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $46,496 | $27,000 | 43 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $46,324 | Not available | Not reported |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | Bachelor's Degree | $46,274 | $27,832 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $45,734 | $27,526 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $45,340 | $32,916 | 79 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $45,257 | $25,291 | Not reported |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $43,025 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $42,960 | $27,000 | 1 |
| Religious Music and Worship | Master's Degree | $42,890 | Not available | Not reported |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $42,576 | $24,850 | Not reported |
| Social Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $41,811 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Education, General | Bachelor's Degree | $41,664 | $42,160 | 36 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $41,103 | $24,393 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $40,952 | $33,450 | 7 |
| International/Globalization Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $40,897 | $22,914 | Not reported |
| Education, Other | Associate's Degree | $39,644 | $26,266 | Not reported |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $38,332 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Apparel and Textiles | Bachelor's Degree | $38,226 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Associate's Degree | $37,200 | $30,949 | Not reported |
| Human Services, General | Bachelor's Degree | $36,290 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Associate's Degree | $33,736 | $30,087 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Associate's Degree | $27,480 | $25,048 | Not reported |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $26,656 | Not reported |
| Military Systems and Maintenance Technology | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,407 | 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.