Nelson University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Waxahachie, Texas. It enrolls 1,479 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Fair
55/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes37
Value25
Affordability62
Selectivity16
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Nelson University admits 89% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
89%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
890 – 1090
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyRequiredSAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Nelson University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
3.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $21,662 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$25,064
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,598
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,116
Books & Supplies
$1,434
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,316
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,250
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,504
Application fee: $35 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$17,583
$30,001 – $48,000
$18,396
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,731
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,883
Over $110,000
$25,474
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$24,725Medianpercentile
$26,50075%percentile
$39,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $15,321
↓ $9,404
No Pell $11,500
↓ $13,225
Dependent students $13,000
↓ $11,725
Independent students $16,634
↓ $8,091
Female students $16,250
↓ $8,475
Male students $12,125
↓ $12,600
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($24,725), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
39% of students who start here finish within six years, and 78% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
39%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
78%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $46,238 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,238
Earning > $25K
74%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$31,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,800, about 29% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 77% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,479 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 38% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
1,479
Part-Time
13%
First-Generation
38%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 49.0%724
Hispanic 28.9%428
Black 11.6%171
Other 7.6%113
Asian 1.1%16
International 0.7%11
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Nelson University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Nelson University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
54 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 15 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$48M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$57,295
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
61 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
23
38%
$59,259
Associate Professors
10
16%
$62,990
Assistant Professors
18
30%
$56,211
Instructors
10
16%
$49,031
Pros & Cons of Nelson University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Nelson University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Best for:
Based on the data, Nelson University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nelson University
The questions families ask most about Nelson University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Nelson University hard to get into?
Not especially. Nelson University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 89%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Nelson University?
89% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Nelson University?
Aim for 1090 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 890 and 1090 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Nelson University cost?
Budget around $21,662 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Nelson University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $46,238 a year against a net price of $21,662, about 2.1 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Nelson University known for?
Mostly Religion/Religious Studies, Bible/Biblical Studies, Pastoral Counseling. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Nelson University graduates earn?
About $46,238 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Nelson University accredited?
Yes. Nelson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Nelson University?
1,479 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Nelson University?
39% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Nelson University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Nelson University located?
Nelson University is located in Waxahachie, Texas.
What programs does Nelson University offer?
54 different programs, most commonly Religion/Religious Studies, Bible/Biblical Studies, Pastoral Counseling. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Nelson University?
15 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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