Colby-Sawyer College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Colby-Sawyer College charges a net price of $27,431/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $109,724. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,474, 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, Colby-Sawyer College does not clear its cost — it ranks #16 of 20 New Hampshire colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $27,431/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $109,724 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,474 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,886/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$147,444 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Colby-Sawyer College's own numbers. Net price $27,431 × 4 years = $109,724 total. Median earnings $46,474 fall $1,886 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 $109,724 bill in about 11.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Colby-Sawyer College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 58% of the $46,474 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Colby-Sawyer College students graduate?
57% finish their degree — 43% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $109,724 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $192,498 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Colby-Sawyer College expensive compared with other New Hampshire colleges?
Its $27,431 net price runs $8,818 above the $18,614 median across the 20 New Hampshire colleges we profile, or $35,270 more across the full degree.