Private For-Profit Bachelor's Good 69/100

Wade College

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

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Dallas, Texas

About Wade College

Thinking about Wade College, a college in Texas where more students graduate in Visual & Performing Arts 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.

Wade College is a private for-profit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Dallas, Texas. It enrolls 252 students (a very small, intimate 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
55.1%
Net Price
$20,778
Median Earnings (10yr)
$36,657
Enrollment
252
Student : Faculty
8:1

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
69/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 83
Value 22
Affordability 56
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Wade College 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 Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.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 $20,778 a year on average, it sits in line with what private for-profit 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
$20,778
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
66%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
79%
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
$17,692
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,118
Books & Supplies
$0
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,530
Total Cost of Attendance
$25,506

Application fee: $12 (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
    $17,341
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $19,771
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $25,506
  • Over $110,000
    $25,506

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.

$4,750
10% percentile
$9,500
25% percentile
$22,938
Median percentile
$30,500
75% percentile
$43,687
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 $15,100 ↓ $7,838
No Pell $12,250 ↓ $10,688
Dependent students $14,939 ↓ $7,999
Independent students $14,250 ↓ $8,688
Female students $16,000 ↓ $6,938
Male students $9,500 ↓ $13,438
Pell recipients: 18.4% (4,222 students)No Pell: 14.9% (3,425 students)Dependent students: 18.2% (4,177 students)Independent students: 17.4% (3,984 students)Female students: 19.5% (4,474 students)Male students: 11.6% (2,656 students)Overall Median$22,938
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,500, less than completers ($22,938), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

55% of students who start here finish within six years, and 88% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
55%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
88%
Returning for their second year
What this means: High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $36,657 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)
$36,657
Earning > $25K
61%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$26,000$30,000$34,000$38,000$42,0006 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 ↑ 15.5 pts across 6 years
25%1yr25.9%3yr33.6%5yr40.5%7yr
What this signals: Concerning. Only 40% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 252 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 33% are the first in their family to go to college, and 61% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
252
Part-Time
61%
First-Generation
33%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Black 39.7% 100
Hispanic 33.3% 84
White 17.5% 44
Other 4.4% 11
Asian 4.0% 10
Black: 39.7% (100 students)Hispanic: 33.3% (84 students)White: 17.5% (44 students)Other: 4.4% (11 students)Asian: 4.0% (10 students)Total252

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Wade College. 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
48% 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 Business graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Wade College offers a focused set of programs: 4 distinct programs across 2 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.

2 Programs
2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 8 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
8:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$53,170
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

8 instructional faculty across 1 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 8 100% $53,170

Pros & Cons of Wade College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Wade College 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
  • Strong first-year retention
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
  • Most students take on federal loans
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Best for: Based on the data, Wade College is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Wade College

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

How much does Wade College cost?
Budget around $20,778 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 Wade College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $36,657 a year against a net price of $20,778, about 1.8 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 Wade College known for?
Mostly Design, Design, General Sales & Distribution. 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 Wade College graduates earn?
About $36,657 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 Wade College accredited?
Yes. Wade College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Wade College?
252 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 Wade College?
55% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Wade College a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is Wade College located?
Wade College is located in Dallas, Texas.
What programs does Wade College offer?
4 different programs, most commonly Design, Design, General Sales & Distribution. 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 Wade College?
8 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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