Head-to-head comparison
Wayland Baptist University vs Southwestern Adventist University: which has better ROI?
Option A Plainview, TX
Wayland Baptist University
- Net price / year
- $20,590
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,838
- Payback
- 23.7 yrs
Option B Keene, TX
Southwestern Adventist University
- Net price / year
- $22,778
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,946
- Payback
- 19.9 yrs
Southwestern Adventist University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $91,112 in 19.9 years versus 23.7 years at Wayland Baptist University, on median earnings of $52,946 vs $51,838 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Wayland Baptist University | Southwestern Adventist University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $20,590 | $22,778 |
| Total net cost | $82,360 | $91,112 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,838 | $52,946 |
| Median debt | $23,106 | $26,998 |
| Payback | 23.7 yrs | 19.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$12,800 | $608 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Wayland Baptist University or Southwestern Adventist University?
Wayland Baptist University, at $20,590 a year after aid versus $22,778 — a gap of $2,188 a year, or $8,752 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Wayland Baptist University or Southwestern Adventist University graduates earn more?
Southwestern Adventist University graduates report a median $52,946 ten years after entry, $1,108 more than the $51,838 at Wayland Baptist University. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Wayland Baptist University or Southwestern Adventist University?
Wayland Baptist University: its completers carry a median $23,106 in federal loans versus $26,998 at Southwestern Adventist University, a difference of $3,892. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
52% of students finish at Southwestern Adventist University, against 19% at Wayland Baptist University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.