Carroll University
Waukesha, WI 53186
About Carroll University
Carroll University is a private research university in Waukesha, Wisconsin, serving roughly 2,523 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 66.84% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $58,009 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Carroll University charges 33% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($38,890).
- Versus the Wisconsin median, sticker tuition is about 3.9×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 70.70%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $58,009.
Research findings
Finding
Average net price at Carroll University is about 61% below published tuition.
Published tuition is $38,890; average net price is $15,193 in the latest Scorecard extract.
Interpretation: Institutional aid and grants compress sticker price into a substantially lower typical undergraduate cost signal.
Limitation: Average net price masks variation by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the campus average.
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Carroll University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 855% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Carroll University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 58 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll University | $38,890 | $15,193 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Wisconsin (state median) | $9,856 | $12,252 | 54 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 61% below published tuition at Carroll University
Key findings
- Carroll University's average net price ($15,193) is 61% below published tuition ($38,890).
- Carroll University charges 33% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($38,890).
- Versus the Wisconsin median, sticker tuition is about 3.9×.
Carroll University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $38,890
Finding Carroll University charges 33% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $38,890. That is 33% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Wisconsin median ($9,856), sticker tuition is about 3.9×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.3×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Carroll University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Carroll University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Carroll University is $15,193.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $15,193 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,940 above the Wisconsin median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $222 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Carroll University’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 61% lower after grants and scholarships.
Carroll University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Carroll University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
Completion, earnings, and net price together describe a campus where sticker price overstates typical undergraduate cost while outcomes remain at the high end of Scorecard distributions.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$38,890
Avg. net price
$15,193
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $15,718 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $16,875 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $14,134 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $15,730 |
| $110,001+ | $14,891 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $155,560. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Carroll University is known for
Top program completions
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse130
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology93
- Physical Therapy/Therapist73
- Psychology, General45
- Management Science32
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 18% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1190
- Midpoint ACT: 25
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Carroll University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Carroll University is a good school for those looking for strong completion and solid mid-career earnings—especially where average net price sits well below published tuition (about 61% lower in this extract).
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Carroll University.
Campus
Location
Waukesha, WI
City / state
- ZIP
- 53186
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 1% above the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
2,523
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 2,747
- Graduate
- 557
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 22.91%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Carroll University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Carroll University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Carroll University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $27,724 | $27,724 | $21,298 |
| 2014 | $28,550 | $28,550 | $22,858 |
| 2015 | $29,535 | $29,535 | $22,946 |
| 2016 | $30,388 | $30,388 | $23,579 |
| 2017 | $31,144 | $31,144 | $22,736 |
| 2018 | $31,918 | $31,918 | $22,943 |
| 2019 | $32,850 | $32,850 | $23,355 |
| 2020 | $34,010 | $34,010 | $22,987 |
| 2021 | $35,140 | $35,140 | $23,592 |
| 2022 | $36,190 | $36,190 | $24,812 |
| 2023 | $37,230 | $37,230 | $24,362 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1190 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 25 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Carroll University reported total enrollment of about 2,523 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 33% male and 67% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (69.6%), Hispanic or Latino (13.8%), and Black or African American (4.2%). About 22.91% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 27.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
96.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Carroll University in 2024 is 2,523 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,747 students. Graduate enrollment is about 557 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
78.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
59.72% 100% Completion Time
70.70% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 59.72% of students graduating from Carroll University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 11% male / 89% female
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology: 47% male / 53% female
- Physical Therapy/Therapist: 32% male / 68% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Carroll University graduates earn a median of $58,009 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Carroll University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,009. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $15,193.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Carroll University graduates report median earnings of $58,009 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Carroll University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (58 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Carroll University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Carroll University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Carroll University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$86.2M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Wisconsin median 2.1× the median ($41.1M)
- Great Lakes median 2.7× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 3.3× the median ($26.4M)
- Wisconsin median 1.4× the median ($18,809)
- Great Lakes median 1.5× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 2.1× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 37.8%
- Wisconsin median 26.7 pp below median (64.5%)
- Great Lakes median 20.2 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 20.2 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $8,605
- Wisconsin median near the median ($8,323)
- Great Lakes median 1.1× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,831
- Wisconsin median near the median ($9,506)
- Great Lakes median 1.3× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Carroll University at a glance
Carroll University
Carroll University is a private non-profit institution in Waukesha, WI, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseExercise Science and KinesiologyPhysical Therapy/Therapist
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian69.6%Hispanic or Latino13.8%Black or African American4.2%
Schools near Carroll University
Other campuses in Waukesha, WI when available, plus nearby institutions in Wisconsin.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Wisconsin, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Carroll University located?
Carroll University is located in Waukesha, WI.
What is Carroll University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Carroll University is 66.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 5,972 applicants and 3,488 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Carroll University's tuition?
Carroll University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $38,890 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $15,193 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Carroll University cost?
Reported tuition is $38,890 and average net price is $15,193 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,280 annually.
Why is Carroll University's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Carroll University, published tuition is $38,890 while average net price is $15,193—about 61% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Carroll University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($15,193), completion (70.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($58,009). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Carroll University?
Carroll University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,747 students, White (69.6%), Hispanic or Latino (13.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Carroll University?
About 27.2% of students at Carroll University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Carroll University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Carroll University reports midpoint SAT about 1190 and midpoint ACT about 25.
What do graduates of Carroll University earn?
Median earnings are $54,456 six years after entry and $58,009 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Carroll University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 70.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Carroll University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.