Below Average

Score: 43/100

Overall (traditional)

Outcome Rating

52/100 · earnings-weighted

Waldorf University

4-Year Private For-Profit

📍 Forest City, Iowa 50436

🌐 www.waldorf.edu/

Waldorf University — acceptance rate 73%, tuition $23,800

Waldorf University campus, Forest City, IA. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

ℹ️

Rating Context: ⚠️ Limited Data Available. Some metrics for this institution are incomplete or unavailable, which may affect the overall grade. Consider researching this school directly for the most current information.

Suggested Focus: For this type of institution, we recommend prioritizing the Outcomes Score (C) which measures graduation and job placement rates — the most relevant metrics for career programs.
Graduation Rate: 29%

Outcomes

50/100

Affordability

30/100

Resources

45/100

Experience

68/100

Prestige

26/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

2,657

Total Enrollment

29%

Graduation Rate

52%

Retention Rate

22.0:1

Student-Faculty Ratio

73%

Acceptance Rate

N/A

Avg Net Price

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Waldorf University, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$51,165

Median earnings 10 yrs after entry

$50,515

Median earnings 6 yrs after entry

$18,752

Median debt at graduation

21.1%

Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)

35.5%

Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 37% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 62nd percentile among similar colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (IA wage index 0.90). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Waldorf University

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major	1 yr after	4 yrs after	vs. national	Rank (pay)	Rank (wage-adj.)	Median debt
Fire Protection	$97,731	$100,060	+16%	#3 of 19	#3	$18,750
Human Resources Management and Services	$77,897	$94,822	+39%	#7 of 187	#4	$28,125
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	$65,908	$83,151	-4%	#11 of 19	#12	$18,699
Homeland Security	$66,446	$76,520	+9%	#7 of 33	#6	$22,000
Business/Commerce	$51,954	$63,357	-7%	#177 of 271	#132	$21,535
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$42,735	$54,289	-2%	#339 of 660	#283	$25,500
Psychology	$41,193	$50,184	-1%	#504 of 1027	#342	$20,637
Communication and Media Studies	—	$49,473	-12%	#461 of 660	#403	—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	—	$49,228	+4%	#279 of 680	#243	—
Health and Medical Administrative Services	$46,923	—	—	—	—	$22,301

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Waldorf University Town Property Report

Avg home value near campus: $186,196
Avg rent near campus: $873/mo
Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 50432 (7.2% cap, Crystal Lake)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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🏆 Where Waldorf University Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

Critical Infrastructure Protection

of 6 schools

#10

Fire Services Administration

of 10 schools

#17

Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician

of 17 schools

#24

Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management

of 24 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition	$23,800	$23,800
Total Cost (On-Campus)	$39,966	$39,966

Financial Aid

96%

Receive Any Aid

56%

Receive Pell Grants

78%

Take Out Loans

N/A

Avg Net Price

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician 148 grads/yr Organizational Leadership 123 grads/yr Business/Commerce, General 86 grads/yr Psychology, General 77 grads/yr Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management 71 grads/yr Fire Services Administration 64 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 42 grads/yr Health/Health Care Administration/Management 42 grads/yr Critical Infrastructure Protection 41 grads/yr Organizational Behavior Studies 39 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 32 grads/yr Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching 24 grads/yr Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 18 grads/yr Elementary Education and Teaching 17 grads/yr Homeland Security 17 grads/yr Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General 16 grads/yr Speech Communication and Rhetoric 11 grads/yr Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 10 grads/yr Early Childhood Education and Teaching 8 grads/yr History, General 6 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from Waldorf University's top programs commonly pursue.

Occupational health and safety specialists

$84k/yr 131,900 jobs

Human resources managers

$140k/yr 221,900 jobs

Managers, all other

$137k/yr 1,333,700 jobs

Training and development managers

$127k/yr 46,400 jobs

Fundraising managers

$123k/yr 45,700 jobs

Management analysts

$101k/yr 1,075,100 jobs

Business teachers, postsecondary

$97k/yr 103,100 jobs

Chief executives

$206k/yr 309,400 jobs

Student Demographics

2,657

Total Students

38%

Women

28%

Traditional Age (18-24)

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 51%

Hispanic 2%

Black 12%

Asian 2%

Two or More 2%

Non-Resident 1%

🏠 Living Arrangements

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 25%

Fully Online 75%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 28%

25-64 (Adult) 63%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Waldorf University?

Waldorf University has an acceptance rate of 73%. This indicates a less selective admissions process with good chances for qualified applicants.

How much does it cost to attend Waldorf University?

Tuition at Waldorf University is $23,800 for in-state students and $23,800 for out-of-state students .

What is the graduation rate at Waldorf University?

The graduation rate at Waldorf University is 29%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.

Is Waldorf University a good school?

Waldorf University has a Repit College Score of 43/100 (Grade: D). Our rating evaluates five key factors:

Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
Affordability (F): Net cost and financial aid access
Resources (C): Class sizes and selectivity
Experience (B): Campus life and learning format
Prestige (F): Reputation and recognition

Note: As a smaller institution, we recommend focusing on the Outcomes score when evaluating this school.

How many students attend Waldorf University?

Waldorf University has a total enrollment of 2,657 students.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Waldorf University — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →