Cottey College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cottey College charges a net price of $13,805/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $55,220. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,422, 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, Cottey College does not clear its cost — it ranks #60 of 71 Missouri colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,805/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $55,220 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,422 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,938/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $19,043 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$313,980 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cottey College's own numbers. Net price $13,805 × 4 years = $55,220 total. Median earnings $35,422 fall $12,938 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 $55,220 bill in about 5.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cottey College students graduate with?
A median $19,043 in federal loans among completers, or 54% of the $35,422 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cottey College students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $55,220 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $98,607 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cottey College expensive compared with other Missouri colleges?
Its $13,805 net price runs $4,281 below the $18,086 median across the 71 Missouri colleges we profile, and $17,124 less across the full degree.