College of the Atlantic — ROI, Cost & Payback
College of the Atlantic charges a net price of $25,184/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $100,736. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,264, 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, College of the Atlantic does not clear its cost — it ranks #22 of 27 Maine colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $25,184/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $100,736 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,264 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,096/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,050 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$262,656 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on College of the Atlantic's own numbers. Net price $25,184 × 4 years = $100,736 total. Median earnings $40,264 fall $8,096 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 $100,736 bill in about 10.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do College of the Atlantic students graduate with?
A median $25,050 in federal loans among completers, or 62% of the $40,264 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of College of the Atlantic students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $100,736 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $148,141 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is College of the Atlantic expensive compared with other Maine colleges?
Its $25,184 net price runs $8,004 above the $17,180 median across the 27 Maine colleges we profile, or $32,016 more across the full degree.