Dean College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Dean College charges a net price of $30,684/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $122,736. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,109, 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, Dean College does not clear its cost — it ranks #81 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $30,684/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $122,736 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,109 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,251/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$327,756 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Dean College's own numbers. Net price $30,684 × 4 years = $122,736 total. Median earnings $38,109 fall $10,251 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 $122,736 bill in about 12.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Dean College students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 66% of the $38,109 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Dean College students graduate?
54% finish their degree — 46% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $122,736 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $227,289 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Dean College expensive compared with other Massachusetts colleges?
Its $30,684 net price runs $5,801 above the $24,883 median across the 85 Massachusetts colleges we profile, or $23,204 more across the full degree.