Baker College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Baker College charges a net price of $13,157/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $52,628. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,833, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Baker College does not clear its cost — it ranks #68 of 85 Michigan colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,157/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $52,628 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,833 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,527/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$303,168 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Baker College's own numbers. Net price $13,157 × 4 years = $52,628 total. Median earnings $35,833 fall $12,527 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $52,628 bill in about 5.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Baker College students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 70% of the $35,833 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Baker College students graduate?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $52,628 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $146,189 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Baker College expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $13,157 net price runs $1,144 below the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, and $4,576 less across the full degree.