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Is Shawnee State University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Shawnee State, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
Shawnee State lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $17,766 in yearly net price and $19,660 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $43,200. For context, Shawnee State's net price is about 13% above the typical 4-year, public 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 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$14,815
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $1,661 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $7,000 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
$17,766
Median earnings 10 years out
$43,200
Median debt at graduation
$19,660
Graduation rate
37%
At Shawnee State, a typical graduate carries about $19,660 in student debt and earns roughly $43,200 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $224 per month, or 6% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $12,407 more than the typical working high school graduate in Ohio ($30,793) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
65% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Ohio ($30,793).
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 30 working graduates counted
$34,215
$3,422 above the benchmark
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor's degree · 19 working graduates counted
$39,821
$9,028 above the benchmark
Psychology, General
Bachelor's degree · 33 working graduates counted
$40,791
$9,998 above the benchmark
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor's degree · 23 working graduates counted
$41,068
$10,275 above the benchmark
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor's degree · 17 working graduates counted
$41,424
$10,631 above the benchmark
Sociology
Bachelor's degree · 24 working graduates counted
$43,602
$12,809 above the benchmark
Social Sciences, General
Bachelor's degree · 18 working graduates counted
$43,723
$12,930 above the benchmark
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor's degree · 16 working graduates counted
$44,143
$13,350 above the benchmark
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Associate degree · 66 working graduates counted
$44,869
$14,076 above the benchmark
Management Information Systems and Services
Bachelor's degree · 28 working graduates counted
$46,822
$16,029 above the benchmark
50 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent Shawnee State University and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
Shawnee State is a public four year school in Portsmouth, OH. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
Ohio State University-
Columbus, OH
Worth-It Score: 85/100
Median net price: $17,269
Public 4-year
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $16,406
Public 4-year
Kent State University at Kent
Kent, OH
Worth-It Score: 57/100
Median net price: $20,294
Public 4-year
Ohio University-
Athens, OH
Worth-It Score: 68/100
Median net price: $20,666
Public 4-year
Bowling Green State University-
Bowling Green, OH
Worth-It Score: 59/100
Median net price: $21,453
Common questions about Shawnee State
The median net price at Shawnee State is $17,766 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 public universities options in Ohio? See the most affordable public universities in Ohio →
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 →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at Shawnee State in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$17,766a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
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 →