Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsPrivate nonprofitHSI

Nelson University

Waxahachie, Texas·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Southwest·nelson.edu
6-yr Graduation
42%
-8.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Total enrollment
1,794
peer median 2,244
Avg net price
$21,662
-$1.2k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeDocumentsAlumni

About

Nelson University, formerly Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU), is a private Christian university in Waxahachie, Texas, United States. Nelson is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and endorsed by the Assemblies of God USA. The university offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in liberal arts programs as well as programs in Bible and church ministries.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
656
656 candidates competed
Admitted
584
89.0% acceptance rate
Enrolled
332
56.8% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
42%-8.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
4-year graduation
29%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
36%
Full-time retention
75%

Pell equity

8.1pp gap
Pell recipients
45%85 of 190
Non-Pell (all)
37%48 of 130
Subsidized loan, no Pell
38%27 of 72
No Federal Aid
36%21 of 58

Pell recipients here graduate at a 8.1-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 67 Title IV programs, 15 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 52 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
67
Passing
15
22.4% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

67programs
  • Passing15 · 22.4%
  • No Data52 · 77.6%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
4
Safe
10
No data
52

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

15
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+2.4%
$62,264 vs $60,823
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
+13.0%
$55,000 vs $48,653
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
Bachelor Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
+19.2%
$39,707 vs $33,298
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Master's Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
+19.3%
$53,150 vs $44,535
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
Associate Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
+20.7%
$40,202 vs $33,298
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
+29.5%
$43,110 vs $33,298
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bachelor Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
+31.6%
$43,808 vs $33,298
Bible/Biblical Studies
Associate Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
+37.3%
$45,704 vs $33,298

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+2.4%
+$1,441

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

12
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Master's Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
106%
$56,110 debt · $53,150 earn
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
85%
$46,576 debt · $55,000 earn
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bachelor Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
68%
$29,684 debt · $43,808 earn
Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries
Bachelor Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
62%
$24,750 debt · $39,707 earn
Bible/Biblical Studies
Associate Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
60%
$27,220 debt · $45,704 earn
Education General
Bachelor Degree · Education
56%
$28,375 debt · $50,491 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
54%
$25,300 debt · $47,277 earn
Business Administration Management and Operations
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
51%
$31,472 debt · $62,264 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1968Next review Jun 2028
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation

Accredited since 1948

Action history · 4

  1. Dec 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  2. Nov 2021Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  3. Dec 2018Removal of Monitoring Status
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. Jun 2018Heightened Monitoring or Focused Review
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$17,583
$30–48k$18,396
$48–75k$21,731
$75–110k$23,883
$110k+$25,474

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$21,662
-$1,193vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs median $22,856
Federal loans
61.3%
In-state tuition
$25,064
Out-of-state
$25,064

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 918 students received $5.2M in Pell grants, alongside $11.5M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
918
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$5.2M
$5,233,072 total
Direct Loans
$11.5M
2,030 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$3.4M
858 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$2.9M
819 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$2.8M
184 loan awards
Parent PLUS$2.3M
153 loan awards
Grad PLUS$171K
16 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 767 borrowers who entered repayment, 35 (4.5%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
4.5%
+2.2pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
767
Defaulted
35
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
11.1%
2017
16.4%
2018
10.8%
2019
4.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Nelson

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs57
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

472 total completions
01Theology
14831.4%
02Philosophy/Religion
8518.0%
03Business
7115.0%
04Liberal Arts
449.3%
05Education
337.0%
06Psychology
296.1%
07Public Admin
234.9%
08English Language
153.2%
09Parks/Recreation
122.5%
10Security/Protective
122.5%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
1,794
12-mo unduplicated
2,024
Undergraduate
1,642
Graduate
382

Gender split

Men
50%1,012
Women
50%1,012

Race / ethnicity composition

White
48.9%
Hispanic
28.9%
Black
11.6%
Two or more
5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native
2.4%
Asian
1.1%
Unknown
1.1%
Non-resident
0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
465
325 M · 140 W
Women athletes
30.1%
Athletic aid
$2.2M
Total student aid
Budget
$4.6M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.4M
$736K
Recruiting expense
$11K
$9K
Head-coach salaries
$53K
$45K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 7

Football
114 M · —
$892K
Soccer
62 M · 35 W
$543K
Baseball
91 M · —
$685K
Basketball
49 M · 29 W
$877K
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
17 M · 23 W
$417K
Softball
— · 31 W
$279K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
1.74
3 offenses · 1,725 students

3-year trend

0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago1.74Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
3
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
0
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
2
Burglary
1

By location

3total
  • On campus3

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
0
Stalking
0 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs08
Liquor012

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
15.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
66

Nelson vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Nelson selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectNelson University
42%—1,794$21,662Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Dallas Baptist University
58%88.8%4,124$28,516Doctoral/Professional
East Texas Baptist University
47%57.8%1,813$23,911Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Evangel University
65%71.6%2,289$18,669Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Hardin-Simmons University
46%90.0%1,665$19,555Doctoral/Professional
Howard Payne University
28%67.4%809$23,627Baccalaureate
John Brown University
72%76.1%2,350$20,397Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Lee University
63%70.5%3,714$18,878Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
LeTourneau University
59%38.0%3,330$28,185Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Liberty University
67%99.0%104,327$29,357Doctoral/Professional
Lubbock Christian University
51%73.1%1,595$24,456Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
McMurry University
44%57.0%3,175$19,581Baccalaureate
Mid-America Christian University
39%91.8%2,397$16,692Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
North Central University
65%99.0%852$25,817Baccalaureate
Oklahoma Baptist University
52%49.4%1,569$20,958Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Southeastern University
44%53.0%11,510$31,942Doctoral/Professional
Southern Nazarene University
49%—2,198$22,084Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Texas Lutheran University
54%95.7%1,423$24,654Baccalaureate
University of Valley Forge
49%61.2%589$32,265Baccalaureate
Wayland Baptist University
19%56.0%2,809$20,590Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median50%71.1%2,244$22,856

Institutions like Nelson

Explore the federal data for institutions in Nelson's comparison group.

IPEDS

Nelson Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Reports to Nelson University
Email
ieoffice [at] nelson.edu
Phone
972-825-4870

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Nelson University focuses on assessment processes for various academic and administrative units. The page provides links to resources for academic program assessment, support services assessment, and information for deans and VPs.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Dr. Jerry Roberts
    Director of Institutional Research

Reports & documents (1)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Notable alumni of Nelson (6)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Scott Bottoms
  • John R. Broxson
  • Gary Chapman
    Music
  • Gary Elkins
    Politics
  • W. V. Grant
  • John Hagee

Frequently asked questions about Nelson University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Nelson.

What is the graduation rate at Nelson University?

Nelson University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 42% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Nelson University?

Nelson University reports a total enrollment of 1,794 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Nelson University?

The average net price at Nelson University is $21,662 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Nelson University?

Nelson University's yield rate is 56.8%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Nelson University located?

Nelson University is located in Waxahachie, Texas 75165.

Who runs Institutional Research at Nelson University?

Nelson University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, which reports to Nelson University.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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