Who this university is and where it stands
Let us start with the basics, because the basics already say quite a bit.
Wayland Baptist University is a private, nonprofit institution offering programs of four years or more. Carnegie, the federal system for classifying universities, describes it as a master's university with larger programs and places it among small, primarily residential four-year schools: at the time of that record, between 25 and 49 of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-owned or institution-affiliated housing, and at least half studied full time. Its undergraduate profile places it in the category where at least 40 of every 100 students attend part time, although that threshold does not establish that they are the majority.
As for the highest level it offers, IPEDS records the doctorate as the highest academic level reported by the institution and classifies it as a school that awards degrees primarily at the bachelor's level or above. This is an institutional fact, not a guarantee that the exact program your child is interested in extends to that level. If your child dreams of studying something specific and then continuing into graduate study at the same school, that path must be verified program by program, not assumed because the institution reports graduate offerings overall.
Regarding fields of study, the Carnegie snapshot shows that between 60% and 79% of the bachelor's majors awarded during its reference period were in professional fields, with the rest in arts and sciences. This does not measure current enrollment or cover the school's entire range of offerings. If your daughter already knows what she wants to study, ask about that specific major, not the school as a whole.
Location. Wayland Baptist University is in Plainview, Texas, in Hale County. The area surrounding the campus is a remote town, outside any large urban area. If your family does not live nearby, now is the time to calculate separately where your child would live and how they would get to campus. This data only locates the school's address; it says nothing about your trip or transportation budget.
Special designations. Wayland Baptist University is not recorded as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; this university is not among them. That does not tell you which communities it serves well or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today, and better yet, speak with someone who already studies there.
The actual size and who makes up this community
Here is one of the facts that most changes the image people may have of a “small-town university.”
Wayland Baptist University reported to the government that 33 of every 100 undergraduate students are Hispanic or Latino. Put simply, that is at least one in three. Compared with 941 private four-year schools with selective admissions in this same census that reported the data, it ranks among those reporting the highest shares: nine out of ten schools in that group reported an equal or lower proportion. Being Latino would not be the exception on this campus; it would be a normal part of the landscape.
But be careful about what this number does not say. A high percentage of Latino students is not the same as support designed for Latino students. It does not tell you whether there is a Spanish-speaking counselor, whether targeted tutoring is available, or whether those students actually complete their degrees. And it is the percentage for the entire school, not for the program your child is interested in. Counting students is not the same as serving them.
57 of every 100 undergraduate students are between 25 and 64 years old. That is more than half. The campus is divided almost evenly between men and women, with women making up 51 of every 100 students. And among entering students, 85 of every 100 reported a permanent address in Texas when they applied. Most of their classmates will be from the state.
The school's size. The official fall count showed enrollment of 2,861 students: medium-sized, within the range of 1,000 to 4,999, and one of the most common sizes among its peers in this census. But that total has a catch: it is divided between 2,162 undergraduate students and 699 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor's program, the number that matters for their level is 2,162, not the total. A substantial part of this school consists of people who already completed a degree and returned for another one.
How the academic year is organized and what is taught
Wayland Baptist University operates on semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each, with fixed, consistent dates for everyone. It is the most common academic calendar in the United States, so if your child transfers from another school using the same system, there should be no surprises in the pace.
The institution stated that it accepts two forms of prior credit: AP examinations and what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—learning acquired through independent study, noncredit adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses or certifications, or military or professional opportunities, including a possible examination program. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college-credit courses through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the truth that must be stated plainly: reporting that it accepts AP does not mean it awards credit for every examination. The report does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward your child's exact program. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
What students study there. In the reported year, the university awarded 573 bachelor's degrees across 22 program families, although some of those rows may report no degrees. By far the most prominent family was business and management: 217 of the 573 degrees, or 38 of every 100. Compared with 942 similar schools in this census, it falls in the quarter with the most program families represented in its bachelor's-level detail—a broad offering on paper—although that does not mean there are 22 actual programs with active enrollment in each one. If your child has a specific major in mind, request the exact details for that program rather than relying on the overall picture.
The relationship between students and instructional staff. The official ratio is 10 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent member of the instructional staff. Compared with 941 similar schools in this census, it falls below the midpoint of the group but not within the lowest quarter. It is a low aggregate ratio, but by itself it does not mean that classes are small or that more individual attention is available to each student. IPEDS does not report the actual size of first-year classes, so this is a clue, not a promise.
The academic pathways the institution reports offering
Wayland Baptist University reports offering these structured pathways: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, an entire program that can be completed exclusively during evenings or weekends, credit-bearing developmental education, preparation for certification to teach below the postsecondary level, the ability to complete preparation there in certain teacher-specialization areas, and state approval of its program for initial teacher certification. If any of these pathways connects with what your child wants to do—teach, for example, or combine study with full-time work—it is worth asking directly how active and accessible that option is today.
How admission works: what matters and what does not
This is where many families become nervous unnecessarily, or relax unnecessarily. Let us take it slowly.
Wayland Baptist University stated that it does not have open admission. It reviews certain components before saying yes. Of the nine possible considerations evaluated by this report—not counting standardized tests or legacy status—it marked three as required: the high school transcript, the high school grade-point average, and an English-proficiency examination when applicable. The list of items it reported as not considered is longer: whether your child completed the college-preparatory program recommended by the university, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency examination, work experience, or whether a family member attended the school. The report does not state the exact weight of each element, so this does not confirm that the transcript is the only deciding factor, but it does make clear what carries the most weight: the report card.
The published undergraduate application fee is $35.
If your child studied outside the United States or completed high school in Spanish, ask now whether the English-proficiency examination applies and what would exempt them. This university marked it as required when applicable, and it is one of those things families discover late, when the clock is already running.
How selective it is in practice. In the 2023 cycle, Wayland Baptist University received 1,974 first-time applications. Of those, 1,067 received an offer of admission: 54 of every 100. Compared with 942 private four-year schools with selective admissions in this census, it is on the low side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, accepted a higher percentage of their applicants. The count is almost evenly split. Admission is not automatic, but it is not a lottery either: the application is reviewed.
But being admitted is not the same as enrolling, and here the data is striking: of every 100 students Wayland Baptist University admitted to the first-year class in 2023, only 27 ultimately enrolled. The other 73 had an acceptance letter in hand and did not attend. Compared with its peers in this census, that proportion falls near the middle of the group. Put in family terms: of every four young people who receive a yes from this school, about one ultimately arrives for classes. Receiving the letter is not the same as deciding to attend, and when your child's admission letters arrive, this percentage should not make the decision for you. Put the letters side by side and compare net price, program, and distance before the deposit deadline.
The SAT and ACT. The university reported that it does not consider those scores in the admission decision, even if they are submitted. That does not mean it does not use them for scholarships, placement, or other purposes; ask admissions about those separately and directly.
Transfer students. In the fall 2023 count, 288 undergraduate students entered this school for the first time after previously studying at another institution. Compared with its 942 peers in this census, it is among those reporting the most incoming transfer students—although this is a count of people, not a proportion, and a school may report more simply because of its size. The transfer-out rate—how many students who entered here as first-time students later transferred elsewhere—is not reported in this file. That does not prove that no one leaves; it only means that specific data field is blank.
The listed price and what families actually pay
At Wayland Baptist University, among 64 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $18,610. Among 29 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $20,654; among 39 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $23,518. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
There is a difference of $4,908 between the average for the lowest-income band, which included 64 students, and the average for the highest-income band, which included 39 students. Among first-year students who received any scholarship, the average was $20,222.
$18,610 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income band in the 2022-23 academic year. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the aid letter.
None of these figures is a price quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with scholarship or grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. The figure that matters is the aid letter sent to you. In the meantime, use the net price calculator on the school's website.
Financial aid and loans, without mixing up the columns
At Wayland Baptist University, 64 of every 100 degree-seeking students received some form of aid that does not have to be repaid—scholarships or grants. That is more than half, but not everyone. Compared with its 942 peers in this census, it falls within the quarter where this aid reaches fewer students. Among those who did receive it, the annual average was $10,349.
Separately, 42 of every 100 students received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families with demonstrated need.
Here is a clarification worth its weight in gold when your child's letter arrives: the percentage and the average should not be multiplied together. The percentage tells you how many received something. The average tells you how much those who received it got. They are two calculations with different denominators. When you open the aid letter, separate it by hand into three piles: what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what must be earned through work. Many letters combine them in a single column to make them look more generous than they are.
Loans. 43 of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the 2022-23 school year—more than two out of ten, but fewer than half. Among those who did borrow, the annual average was $7,461. Compared with its 942 peers in this census, this proportion is on the low side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, had a higher proportion of students with loans.
Put plainly, this percentage describes other families, not yours. This data does not determine which of the two groups—those who borrowed and those who did not—your child will fall into. The financial aid letter they receive in writing will determine that. And that average of $7,461 covers only one year and only federal loans in the student's name: it does not include the PLUS loans parents sometimes end up signing for, bank debt, credit-card debt, or the accumulated debt with which a student graduates after several years. That larger number is not in this report.
Regarding payment options, the institution reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan.
The campus, learning formats, and available support
Wayland Baptist University does have institution-controlled housing, with reported capacity for 810 students, either on or off campus. No first-time, full-time student is universally required to live there—although that does not rule out the possibility that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, including a large plan with a fixed number of meals per week. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available when you request one: confirm the current year's rate and deadline with the school, and whether you are guaranteed a place or put on a waiting list.
ROTC. In its most recent report, the university did not mark any ROTC opportunity, either in the general field or for any of its three branches. Of the four-year institutions in this guide, 926 of 1,786 did mark it; this one was not among them. If your child's plan depends on that scholarship or military career, ask admissions directly before crossing the school off the list: this field states what was reported, not everything that exists in practice.
Sports. The university does compete in intercollegiate sports and is affiliated with more than one athletic association: it appears in the NAIA, the NCCAA, and another unlisted association at the same time. It reports membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. These fields do not say how many places are available or whether any specific sport offers scholarships. If this matters to your child, write directly to the coach for that sport and request an answer in writing.
Distance education. The university does offer distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the fall count, 33 of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance—the other 67 took at least one course in person. Compared with its 942 peers in this census, it is in the quarter with the most undergraduate students studying this way. This number counts all undergraduate students together, not students in your child's program: one program may be almost entirely online while the program next to it is almost entirely on campus.
Library. It operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeded the government-recorded threshold of $100,000. It has physical and digital materials and participates in interlibrary lending. The data does not reveal its hours or whether someone is available to guide your child through a search; ask about that directly.
Other reported support. The institution says it offers combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for those who complete their programs, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, and a published web address for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not tell you how many people use them or how well they work: they are doors that exist on paper, and you have to knock to find out what is on the other side.
How many stay and how many finish
This is probably the hardest section of the entire article. I am sharing it without softening it, because a family preparing to invest years and money deserves to face it directly.
Retention. Of the first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking cohort that entered in the fall of 2022—244 students—116 met the official retention criterion the following year: they were still enrolled there or had already completed the program. That is 48 of every 100. Compared with 930 similar schools in this census, Wayland Baptist University is among those retaining the smallest shares of that cohort: nine out of ten schools in that group, or more, retained a higher proportion. The data does not explain why the rest do not appear as retained—it does not distinguish among transfers, pauses, money, or work. Ask directly what support the institution offers during the first year and what written evidence it has about those who do not return.
Graduation within six years. Of the 271 first-time, full-time students who began bachelor's-degree study in 2017, 52 had earned a degree from this school six years later. That is 19 of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 9 of every 100. Compared with 920 similar schools in this census, it falls at the very bottom of the group: nine out of ten schools in that group, or more, reported a higher proportion of graduates within six years.
It is a number to read slowly. Of every 100 who entered, 81 did not have a bachelor's degree from this school six years later. That remainder may include those who earned a shorter credential there or a degree at another university; the data does not distinguish those individual paths. And it is the number for the entire school: IPEDS does not report graduation program by program, so if your child is pursuing a specific program, you must request that information directly from the department. With a number like this on the table, the recommendation is simple: ask what happened to that cohort, what concrete support exists today, and make sure your child's college list includes more than one option.
At eight years, with a broader cohort. When everyone who entered between July 2015 and June 2016 is counted—including first-time students and those who already had prior college experience, both full-time and part-time, a group of 1,275 students—by the August 2023 measurement date, 47 of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was 46 of every 100, a difference of only 2 points from those who did not receive one. But within that same broad cohort, the first-time, full-time subcohort—those most similar to a student entering directly from high school—stands at 28 of every 100, 19 points below the broad cohort's figure.
This eight-year measurement is a snapshot at one point in time, not a bill showing what it costs to take longer. It does not measure continuous years of study or how much each person paid or gave up in earnings. Before signing, it is worth asking in writing how long students take to complete the exact program your child wants, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if the path takes longer.
What each person must do
Nothing you have just read tells you whether Wayland Baptist University is the right school for your child. It cannot tell you, because that depends on three things this article does not know: what your child wants to study and what they have built to get there, how far from home your family is willing for them to live, and how much you are able and willing to pay.
What you can now see clearly is the landscape. A medium-sized, small-town university where almost one in three students are Latino and more than half are adults returning to study. An admission process that reviews the transcript and grade-point average but does not ask for an essay or letters. A listed price that, compared with similar schools, is on the low side but still runs around $36,000 per year before aid. A six-year graduation rate that demands direct questions before making a commitment. And reported programs, sports, and support services that exist on paper but whose actual quality can be confirmed only by asking.
If you are just beginning to build your child's college list, ask what they want to study and how far away they imagine living. If the school is already under serious consideration and you are about to decide, request the financial aid letter in writing and compare it with the others before the deposit deadline. If you are concerned about the graduation rate, ask admissions directly what specific support exists to help a student reach the finish line, not merely the first semester.
You now understand in depth one of the pieces you need to make a decision. Combine it with what your child wants, what they have built so far, and what your family is able and willing to pay. A plan comes from that combination, not from a single article.
Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, using data from the cycles and periods identified throughout the text. Best College Aid does not represent Wayland Baptist University or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public data and does not replace the official information that the university itself should provide to you in writing.