Is McKendree University Worth It?

McKendree University gives you a middling financial return that hinges almost entirely on what you study. At $24,190 a year in net price, you're paying private-college rates for a median outcome of $58,572 ten years out. That works if you graduate, but the 59.5% grad rate and 68% retention rate mean roughly a third of students leave before finishing, and leaving with debt and no degree is the worst outcome here.

Nursing is the clear winner. Graduates earn $66,653 while carrying the lowest debt of any listed program at $16,290. That combination , highest pay, lowest borrowing , makes it the one major where the price tag is easy to justify. If you come here for nursing, the math works.

Everything else is a step down. Accounting, management, business administration, and math all land in the $41,000-$44,000 range. Business administration is the weakest deal: similar pay to the others but the highest debt on the list at $25,000. Borrowing near a full year's net price for a sub-$42,000 starting field is a thin return.

The net price tiers hold a surprise: if your family earns over $75k, you pay more (around $27,000) than families under $48k (around $21,000). Grant aid narrows the gap for lower-income families but does not erase the sticker cost , even the cheapest tier still runs over $21,000 a year.

This school fits you if you're set on nursing or committed to finishing a business or math degree and can keep borrowing near the $23,250 median. If you're unsure of your major, price-sensitive above the $75k income line, or at risk of not finishing, a public university will likely cost you less for comparable earnings.