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Is Lenoir-Rhyne University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Lenoir-Rhyne, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
Lenoir-Rhyne lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $20,689 in yearly net price and $26,000 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $45,543. For context, Lenoir-Rhyne's net price is about 5% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. This does not make the school wrong for every student, but it does mean the price deserves a closer test.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$24,042
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $1,205 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $5,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is manageable, but it makes the aid offer matter a lot.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$20,689
Median earnings 10 years out
$45,543
Median debt at graduation
$26,000
Graduation rate
49%
At Lenoir-Rhyne, a typical graduate carries about $26,000 in student debt and earns roughly $45,543 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $296 per month, or 8% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $3,743 more than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
78% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Lenoir-Rhyne is a private nonprofit four year school in Hickory, NC. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Wingate
Wingate, NC
Worth-It Score: 52/100
Median net price: $20,748
Private nonprofit 4-year
Carolina
Winston-Salem, NC
Worth-It Score: 27/100
Median net price: $20,828
Private nonprofit 4-year
Johnson C Smith
Charlotte, NC
Worth-It Score: 38/100
Median net price: $20,894
Private nonprofit 4-year
Warren Wilson
Swannanoa, NC
Worth-It Score: 31/100
Median net price: $21,249
Private nonprofit 4-year
Mars Hill
Mars Hill, NC
Worth-It Score: 45/100
Median net price: $19,910
Common questions about Lenoir-Rhyne
The median net price at Lenoir-Rhyne is $20,689 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in North Carolina? See the most affordable private colleges in North Carolina →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →