Southwestern University

Published cost of attendance is $67,493. After need-based aid, low-income families pay approximately $22,478, middle-income families pay around $28,175, higher-income families pay approximately $36,332.

Azimuth ranks Southwestern University #1237 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 13.2 percentile. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000; families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $46,546.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,994, median federal debt projects to a monthly payment of about $282 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios, use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.

Graduates of Southwestern University earn median 4-year earnings of $59,994, placing Southwestern University in the 45.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $14,339 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Southwestern University in the 11.5 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Southwestern University #1002 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect both the university's social-sciences focus and its ability to position graduates into careers with sustained earning growth.

The earnings pattern is anchored in Social Sciences, which shapes the institution's overall economic profile. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 60 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $71,342, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field.

The Psychology, General program graduates 34 students with median 4-year earnings of $50,426, and Biology, General delivers median 4-year earnings of $62,928 across 27 graduates. Together, these programs form the core of Southwestern University's degree output and contribute meaningfully to the institution's above-average return on investment profile among comparable private institutions.

Southwestern University's program mix is anchored in social sciences and humanities — a signature aligned with the institution's liberal arts identity. Business/Commerce, General is the largest program with 60 graduates, followed by Psychology, General, Biology, General, Kinesiology, and Education, General.

Across 26 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, reflecting a portfolio oriented toward analytical, communicative, and professional-preparation fields. The earnings pattern across the institution's largest programs shows variation by field.

Business/Commerce, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $71,342, while Psychology, General graduates earn $50,426 and Biology, General graduates earn $62,928. The highest-earning programs at Southwestern University are concentrated in business and quantitative fields: Business/Commerce, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $71,342, Biology, General graduates earn $62,928, and Political Science graduates earn $61,935.

This earnings spread reflects the institution's breadth — strong outcomes in professional fields paired with solid mid-career earnings in humanities and social sciences. The program portfolio balances direct-to-workforce pathways with graduate-school-dependent fields.

Business and economics programs deliver high-mobility outcomes where graduates enter the labor market immediately and earnings reflect national demand for those skills. By contrast, programs in Biology, General and related humanities fields serve students who often continue to graduate or professional school, where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory.