Student Outcomes
- Graduation Rate (4-year)
- 68.5%
- Graduation Rate (6-year)
- 67.0%
- Retention Rate
- 78.8%
- Median Earnings (10 years after entry)
- $63,191
- Median Debt at Graduation
- $26,942
- Student-to-Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Loan Repayment Rate
- 76.9%
- Estimated Monthly Loan Payment
- $286/mo
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Doctoral | $117,572 | $62,281 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | Bachelor | $74,576 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Bachelor | $65,089 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master | $63,005 | |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor | $62,934 | $25,250 |
| Civil Engineering. | Bachelor | $59,485 | $27,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Bachelor | $55,964 | $26,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | Bachelor | $50,231 | $26,613 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor | $48,432 | $25,350 |
| Marketing. | Bachelor | $48,041 | $27,000 |
| International Business. | Bachelor | $47,260 | |
| Law. | Doctoral | $45,902 | $89,751 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. | Master | $43,798 | $63,264 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness. | Master | $42,682 | |
| Mathematics. | Bachelor | $42,682 |
Outcomes Overview
Valparaiso graduates earn a median of $63,191 ten years after graduation, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 43% with typical debt of $26,942. Monthly loan payments of $286 consume about 5.4% of median income, well below the recommended 10% threshold. The university's strong engineering and business programs feed into stable career paths that justify the investment. Alumni like former HP CEO Mark Hurd demonstrate the school's ability to produce corporate leaders. With a 96.6% employment rate and a loan repayment rate of 76.9%, most graduates successfully transition to careers that support their education costs. This represents a strong return on investment for a private Lutheran university.