Is Southern Nazarene University Worth It?

Southern Nazarene University gives you a moderate financial return that depends heavily on your major. The median graduate earns about $55,000 ten years out against roughly $22,000 in median debt, which is a manageable ratio if you finish. That "if" matters: fewer than half of students graduate, even though nine in ten first-year students come back. The gap between high retention and low completion is the biggest financial risk here. If you leave with debt and no degree, none of these earnings numbers apply to you.

Nursing is the clear payoff. It leads every program at SNU on earnings, and even with the highest debt load of the listed majors ($27,000), the salary covers it. Human resources and business management also clear their debt comfortably and cost less to borrow for. The teaching and physical education programs are where the math turns against you. Both pay under $39,000 while carrying debt in the same range as better-paying majors, so you take on similar risk for a weaker return. If you enroll for education, go in knowing the numbers.

The net price tiers reward lower-income families. You pay about the same whether your family earns under $30k or up to $48k, and roughly $10,000 less per year than families over $110k. If your income is above that line, you carry close to the full sticker cost and should weigh SNU against cheaper Oklahoma public options for the same degree.

This school fits you if you're headed into nursing or business and can commit to finishing. It's a weaker bet if you plan to study education, need to borrow heavily, or come from a higher-income household paying the top net price. The return is real but concentrated in a few programs, so your major decides your outcome more than the school does.