Bellus Academy — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bellus Academy charges a net price of $26,631/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $106,524. Median earnings ten years after entry are $25,223, 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, Bellus Academy does not clear its cost — it ranks #57 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $26,631/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $106,524 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $25,223 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$23,137/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,917 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$569,264 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bellus Academy's own numbers. Net price $26,631 × 4 years = $106,524 total. Median earnings $25,223 fall $23,137 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 $106,524 bill in about 10.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Bellus Academy students graduate with?
A median $7,917 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $25,223 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Bellus Academy students graduate?
74% finish their degree. Spread the $106,524 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $143,951 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bellus Academy expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $26,631 net price runs $11,351 above the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, or $45,404 more across the full degree.