Capital University's nursing program stands out as a key strength, preparing graduates for well-paying healthcare careers with median earnings exceeding $60,000 ten years after graduation.
The university combines solid long-term financial outcomes with meaningful access for students from diverse economic backgrounds, creating pathways to professional careers in healthcare and business.
Capital University ranks as a small private nonprofit institution in Columbus, Ohio, offering a focused educational experience with particularly strong outcomes in nursing and healthcare fields. The university serves about 31% Pell Grant recipients and 28% first-generation college students, providing meaningful access while maintaining selective admissions standards that support student success. With a 66% six-year graduation rate, Capital demonstrates solid completion outcomes for a institution of its size and selectivity.
The university's earnings profile shows graduates earning a median of $54,143 ten years after enrollment, placing it around the 60th percentile nationally for long-term financial outcomes. This performance reflects Capital's concentrated program mix, with nursing representing the largest and highest-return major, alongside business administration and social work programs that prepare students for stable, service-oriented careers.
As a small private college in Ohio's capital city, Capital University combines the intimacy of a close-knit campus community with access to Columbus's diverse internship and employment opportunities. The university's focus on professional programs, particularly in healthcare and business, creates clear pathways from classroom to career while maintaining the personal attention and support systems that help students from various backgrounds succeed academically and professionally.
Capital University's program portfolio centers on professional fields that lead directly to stable, well-paying careers. Nursing dominates both enrollment and outcomes, graduating 99 students annually with strong median earnings of $60,035 ten years out, reflecting the high demand for healthcare professionals in Columbus and throughout Ohio. This program represents Capital's flagship offering, combining rigorous clinical training with excellent employment prospects in hospitals, clinics, and specialized healthcare settings.
Business Administration serves as the university's second-largest program, graduating 48 students into management and corporate roles with median earnings of $42,044. While these outcomes are more moderate than nursing, they reflect solid preparation for careers in Columbus's diverse business environment, from financial services to retail management to corporate operations. The program's focus on practical business skills and local employer relationships helps graduates find meaningful employment in the region's growing economy.
Specialized programs like Forensic Social Work demonstrate Capital's commitment to niche professional fields, graduating 33 students into important service careers with earnings around $35,772. While these programs may not offer the highest financial returns, they prepare students for meaningful work in criminal justice, social services, and community organizations. The university's small size allows for personalized attention and specialized training that larger institutions often cannot provide, creating graduates who are well-prepared for their chosen professional paths.
Capital University graduates achieve solid long-term earnings, with a median income of $54,143 ten years after enrollment, placing the institution around the 60th percentile nationally for graduate earnings. While earnings performance is somewhat below expectations compared with similar institutions, the university's focused program portfolio in high-demand fields like nursing and business creates clear pathways to stable, well-paying careers. The university's strength lies in preparing students for professional roles that offer consistent employment and steady income growth over time.
Nursing stands out as Capital's flagship program, graduating 99 students annually with median earnings of $60,035 ten years out, making it both the largest and highest-return major at the university. Business Administration, the second-largest program with 48 graduates, leads to median earnings of $42,044, reflecting solid outcomes in management and corporate roles. The university also offers specialized programs like Forensic Social Work, which graduates 33 students into meaningful service careers with earnings around $35,772.
Capital's program concentration in healthcare and business reflects the university's mission to prepare students for stable, in-demand careers. The nursing program's strong earnings outcomes, combined with Columbus's robust healthcare sector, provide graduates with excellent local employment opportunities and the potential for career advancement. While the university's overall earnings may not exceed national expectations, its focused approach ensures students enter fields with clear professional trajectories and reliable long-term earning potential.
Capital University's affordability varies significantly by family income, with net prices that reflect its private nonprofit status while still providing meaningful financial aid. Low-income students pay approximately $20,774 annually, while middle-income families face costs around $22,265, and high-income families pay about $27,218 per year. These price points place Capital in the lower tier nationally for affordability, reflecting the premium associated with small private college education and personalized attention.
The university's financial aid approach helps moderate costs for families across income levels, with particularly strong support for Pell-eligible students who represent about 31% of the student body. The relatively modest difference between low-income and middle-income net prices suggests Capital provides consistent aid packages that make the institution accessible to working-class and middle-class families, though the overall cost structure requires families to make a significant financial commitment.
Debt levels at Capital are substantial but manageable given the career outcomes in the university's core programs. The combination of moderate borrowing levels and solid employment prospects in nursing and business helps ensure that graduates can service their educational investments, particularly as they advance in their chosen professions and benefit from the strong alumni networks and employer relationships that Capital has built in the Columbus region.
Capital University Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
