Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 61/100

Parker University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Dallas, Texas

About Parker University

Thinking about Parker University, a college in Texas where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Parker University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Dallas, Texas. It enrolls 607 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.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
44.3%
Net Price
$29,135
Median Earnings (10yr)
$42,091
Enrollment
607
Student : Faculty
7:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar Trimester

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 Open / Online), 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.

Good
61/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 70
Value 15
Affordability 39
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Parker University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

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 $29,135 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.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$29,135
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
50%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
65%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$17,893
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,056
Books & Supplies
$800
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$11,578
Total Cost of Attendance
$42,167

Application fee: $50 (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
    $26,817
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $30,817
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $33,016
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $31,332
  • Over $110,000
    $34,084

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.

$2,750
10% percentile
$4,750
25% percentile
$12,288
Median percentile
$12,500
75% percentile
$20,500
90% 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 $9,500 ↓ $2,788
No Pell $6,250 ↓ $6,038
Dependent students $6,250 ↓ $6,038
Independent students $9,500 ↓ $2,788
Female students $9,500 ↓ $2,788
Male students $9,500 ↓ $2,788
Pell recipients: 18.8% (2,312 students)No Pell: 12.4% (1,521 students)Dependent students: 12.4% (1,521 students)Independent students: 18.8% (2,312 students)Female students: 18.8% (2,312 students)Male students: 18.8% (2,312 students)Overall Median$12,288
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($12,288), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

44% of students who start here finish within six years, and 63% 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
44%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $42,091 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)
$42,091
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$41,000$43,000$45,000$47,000$48,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

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 ↑ 14.1 pts across 6 years
42.4%1yr50.4%3yr52.4%5yr56.6%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 57% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 607 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 39% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
607
Part-Time
36%
First-Generation
39%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 33.0% 200
White 27.5% 167
Hispanic 17.8% 108
Asian 4.1% 25
Other 3.1% 19
International 0.8% 5
Black: 33.0% (200 students)White: 27.5% (167 students)Hispanic: 17.8% (108 students)Asian: 4.1% (25 students)Other: 3.1% (19 students)International: 0.8% (5 students)Total607

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Parker University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City Dallas, Texas
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
70% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Trimester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Biology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Parker University offers a varied set of programs: 20 distinct programs across 7 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.

3 Programs
1 Program
2 Programs
1 Program
2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 7 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
7:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$113M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$60,915
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

106 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 11 10% $76,060
Associate Professors 18 17% $64,147
Assistant Professors 61 58% $58,826
Instructors 16 15% $54,831

Pros & Cons of Parker University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Parker University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Below-average completion rate
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Most students take on federal loans
Best for: Based on the data, Parker University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Parker University

The questions families ask most about Parker University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Parker University cost?
Budget around $29,135 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 Parker University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $42,091 a year against a net price of $29,135, about 1.4 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 Parker University known for?
Mostly Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Allied Health Diagnostic. 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 Parker University graduates earn?
About $42,091 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 Parker University accredited?
Yes. Parker University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Parker University?
607 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 Parker University?
44% 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 Parker 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 Parker University located?
Parker University is located in Dallas, Texas.
What programs does Parker University offer?
20 different programs, most commonly Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, Allied Health Diagnostic. 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 Parker University?
7 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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