Berea College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Berea College charges a net price of $6,106/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $24,424. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,150, 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, Berea College does not clear its cost — it ranks #18 of 51 Kentucky colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,106/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $24,424 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,150 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,210/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $3,591 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$128,624 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Berea College's own numbers. Net price $6,106 × 4 years = $24,424 total. Median earnings $43,150 fall $5,210 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 $24,424 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Berea College students graduate with?
A median $3,591 in federal loans among completers, or 8% of the $43,150 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Berea College students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $24,424 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $42,110 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Berea College expensive compared with other Kentucky colleges?
Its $6,106 net price runs $8,001 below the $14,107 median across the 51 Kentucky colleges we profile, and $32,004 less across the full degree.