Dillard University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Dillard University charges a net price of $22,094/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $88,376. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,196, 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, Dillard University does not clear its cost — it ranks #27 of 52 Louisiana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $22,094/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $88,376 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,196 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,164/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $31,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$271,656 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Dillard University's own numbers. Net price $22,094 × 4 years = $88,376 total. Median earnings $39,196 fall $9,164 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 $88,376 bill in about 8.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Dillard University students graduate with?
A median $31,000 in federal loans among completers, or 79% of the $39,196 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Dillard University students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $88,376 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $205,526 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Dillard University expensive compared with other Louisiana colleges?
Its $22,094 net price runs $8,200 above the $13,895 median across the 52 Louisiana colleges we profile, or $32,798 more across the full degree.