Champlain College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Champlain College charges a net price of $35,860/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $143,440. Graduates earn a median $58,386 ten years after entry, $10,026/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 14.3 years — a 20-year net return of $57,080, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Champlain College's 14.3-year payback ranks #944 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 26% of them, and #5 of 9 in Vermont.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $35,860/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $143,440 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $58,386 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $10,026/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,814 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 14.3 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $57,080 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Champlain College's own numbers. Net price $35,860 × 4 years = $143,440 total. Median earnings $58,386 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $10,026 a year of premium. $143,440 ÷ $10,026 = 14.3 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $57,080. 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 Champlain College students graduate with?
A median $26,814 in federal loans among completers, or 46% of the $58,386 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Champlain College students graduate?
65% finish their degree — 35% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $143,440 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $220,677 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Champlain College expensive compared with other Vermont colleges?
Its $35,860 net price runs $10,621 above the $25,239 median across the 9 Vermont colleges we profile, or $42,484 more across the full degree.