Davis & Elkins College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Davis & Elkins College charges a net price of $18,273/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $73,092. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,411, 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, Davis & Elkins College does not clear its cost — it ranks #14 of 30 West Virginia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,273/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $73,092 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,411 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,949/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$172,072 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Davis & Elkins College's own numbers. Net price $18,273 × 4 years = $73,092 total. Median earnings $43,411 fall $4,949 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 $73,092 bill in about 7.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Davis & Elkins College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 62% of the $43,411 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Davis & Elkins College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $73,092 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $187,415 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Davis & Elkins College expensive compared with other West Virginia colleges?
Its $18,273 net price runs $7,543 above the $10,730 median across the 30 West Virginia colleges we profile, or $30,172 more across the full degree.