Aquinas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Aquinas College charges a net price of $16,626/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $66,504. Graduates earn a median $49,584 ten years after entry, $1,224/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 54.3 years — a 20-year net return of -$42,024, a weak return — the cost is hard to justify on earnings alone. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Aquinas College's 54.3-year payback ranks #1,198 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 6% of them, and #32 of 85 in Michigan.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,626/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $66,504 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,584 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $1,224/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 54.3 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$42,024 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Aquinas College's own numbers. Net price $16,626 × 4 years = $66,504 total. Median earnings $49,584 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $1,224 a year of premium. $66,504 ÷ $1,224 = 54.3 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves -$42,024. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Aquinas College students graduate with?
A median $23,000 in federal loans among completers, or 46% of the $49,584 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Aquinas College students graduate?
65% finish their degree — 35% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $66,504 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $102,314 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Aquinas College expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $16,626 net price runs $2,325 above the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, or $9,300 more across the full degree.