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University or college · Private nonprofit

Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX1,173 online only

Wayland Baptist University is a private nonprofit university in Plainview, TX, with about 1,688 students on campus and 1,173 more studying only online.

Visit www.wbu.edu ↗Directions
Students on campus
1,688
plus 1,173 studying only online
Admission rate
56%
lower than at 80% of 4-year colleges
Net price a year
$20,590
higher than at 52% of 4-year colleges
Graduation rate
19%
lower than at 95% of 4-year colleges
Earnings, 10 yrs later
$51,838
higher than at 74% of U.S. colleges
In brief

The short version on Wayland Baptist University

A lower graduation rate than at most 4-year colleges

Only 19% of students graduate within six years, fewer than at 95% of 4-year colleges. 45% of first-year students come back for a second year. Many students are older and juggling work or family. Outcomes ↓

Many students are adults coming back to school

58% of undergraduates are 25 or older, and 30% study part-time. The students ↓

The only college for 30 miles

No other degree-granting college with students on campus is within 30 miles of Wayland Baptist University. Nearby ↓

Lower-income families pay more here than at most colleges

Families earning under $30,000 still pay about $20,070 a year after grants. What it costs ↓

Rent in Plainview is below the state median

Median rent in Plainview is $851 a month, 39% below the state median. Living in Plainview ↓

This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard; price, graduation and earnings include online students; graduation rates count only first-time, full-time students.

★ What stands out · Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay off?

Graduate
19%
within 6 years · Pell students 14%
Come back for year two
45%
full-time first-year students
Earnings, 10 years later
$51,838
median, students on federal aid
Typical debt
$23,106
about $245 a month over 10 years

Debt vs. the paycheck

The typical loan payment as a share of a typical graduate’s monthly pay six years after starting

6.7%
0%10%: a common comfort line25%

$245 a month against about $3,680 a month in pay.

Paying back loans

Federal student loans, this college

46%

of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 52% of U.S. colleges.

Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).

Earnings by family background

Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment

Lower incomeunder $30k
$46k
Middle income$30–75k
$58k
Higher incomeover $75k
$57k
Getting in

How hard is it to get into Wayland Baptist University?

56%

of applicants admitted

About 11 of every 20 applicants get in.

Test scores of admitted students

No SAT or ACT ranges reported. Wayland Baptist University is likely test-optional.

What it costs

The sticker price, and what families really pay

Sticker price: $36,323 a year

Before any grants

Tuition & fees $23,782Room & board $9,654Books & supplies $840Other costs $2,047

After grants, the average family on aid pays $20,590.

Your family’s price

Average net price after grants, by family income

$19,949

About $79,796 over 4 years · 45% off the sticker price

Under $30k$30–48k$48–75k$75–110kOver $110k
Majors

What students study, and what it pays

Share of degrees by field

Business 32%Public safety 14%Liberal arts 13%Education 9%Public administration & social work 9%Health professions 7%Everything else 16%

Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates

And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).

Business Administration, Management and Operations202 graduates a year · typical debt $21,875
$67k4 yrs out
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities96 graduates a year · typical debt $18,056
$54k4 yrs out
Criminal Justice and Corrections72 graduates a year · typical debt $24,145
$58k4 yrs out
Human Services, General48 graduates a year · typical debt $25,000
$49k4 yrs out
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods35 graduates a year · typical debt $27,732
$48k4 yrs out
Religion/Religious Studies15 graduates a year
—not reported
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing13 graduates a year · typical debt $28,750
—not reported
Biology, General10 graduates a year
—not reported
Who goes there

The students

2,041 degree-seeking undergraduates.

By race and ethnicity

White 29%Hispanic 28%Black 19%Asian 2%Two or more 3%International 3%

Women and men

Women 50%Men 50%
10 : 1
students per teacher
46%
get Pell grants (lower income)
50%
take federal loans
58%
undergrads 25 or older
30%
study part time
The town around it

Living in Plainview

7% of Plainview’s 19,314 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Plainview pages.

Plainview →
PlainviewPlainview, TX
$851/momedian rent · 39% below the state$118Ktypical home valueC−Safety Grade26° / 92°January low / July high · 8" of snowDHealth GradeAll colleges in and near PlainviewCompare prices, admissions and outcomes

Ask around

Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.