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Is SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $41,407 helps, but median debt of $21,334 plus yearly net price of $24,260 creates a tighter path. For context, SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary's net price is about 2% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$23,282
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $445 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $2,000 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 doing real work against the score and raises the financing burden quickly.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
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
$24,260
Median earnings 10 years out
$41,407
Median debt at graduation
$21,334
Graduation rate
86%
At SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary, a typical graduate carries about $21,334 in student debt and earns roughly $41,407 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $243 per month, or 7% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $393 less 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.
61% 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
SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary is a private nonprofit four year school in El Dorado Hills, CA. 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
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA
Worth-It Score: 81/100
Median net price: $24,186
Private nonprofit 4-year
John Paul the Great Catholic
Escondido, CA
Worth-It Score: 56/100
Median net price: $24,156
Private nonprofit 4-year
California Baptist
Riverside, CA
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $24,138
Private nonprofit 4-year
Whittier
Whittier, CA
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $24,940
Private nonprofit 4-year
Vanguard University of Southern California
Costa Mesa, CA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $23,231
Common questions about SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
The median net price at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary is $24,260 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 California? See the most affordable private colleges in California →
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 SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$22,276a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024. 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 →