Howard Payne University

Howard Payne University's published cost of attendance is $46,766. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $24,043, middle-income families pay around $25,917, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,182.

Azimuth ranks Howard Payne University #970 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Howard Payne University participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. The university's aid structure is need-based, with families applying through the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,793, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $21,127; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $50,567, median federal debt of $26,793 projects to a monthly payment of about $303 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Howard Payne University earn median 4-year earnings of $50,567, placing Howard Payne University in the 10.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the $57,042 median at comparable institutions.

Graduates earn about $10,441 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Howard Payne University in the 19.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to TX's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,626.

Education is the dominant program family at Howard Payne, reflecting the university's historical mission and enrollment patterns. Business Administration is the largest program with 14 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $54,795, at 0.8x the national benchmark for the field.

The Subject-Specific Teacher Education program graduates 12 students with median 4-year earnings of $56,101, and Teacher Education and Kinesiology round out the top programs by enrollment. The concentration in education-aligned fields shapes the institution's overall earnings profile, with outcomes anchored in stable, in-demand career pathways that support long-term financial stability for graduates pursuing teaching and related professions.

Howard Payne University anchors its academic portfolio in education, business, and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 14 graduates annually, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education, Teacher Education, Kinesiology, and Criminology.

The institution's program mix reflects its identity as a teaching-focused private university: Education represents 16% of degrees, with Business at 16% and Social Sciences at 11%. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 97 students annually, several deliver competitive four-year earnings outcomes.

The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in business and applied professional fields. Subject-Specific Teacher Education leads with median earnings of $56,101 four years after enrollment, with 12 graduates.

Business Administration follows with median earnings of $54,795 and 14 graduates. These programs reflect direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings capture meaningful labor-market outcomes.

The concentration of Howard Payne University's largest programs in Education aligns with the institution's mission as a teaching-focused university, where education majors prepare for stable, in-demand roles in Texas schools and districts. Howard Payne University's program portfolio emphasizes applied preparation for workforce entry rather than research-intensive or graduate-school-dependent pathways.

Education, business, and professional-studies programs dominate both enrollment and earnings outcomes, positioning graduates for direct entry into regional labor markets. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with Texas workforce demand in education, business services, and applied professions.