Dorsey College-Dearborn — ROI, Cost & Payback
Dorsey College-Dearborn charges a net price of $25,615/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $102,460. Median earnings ten years after entry are $29,392, 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, Dorsey College-Dearborn does not clear its cost — it ranks #75 of 85 Michigan colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $25,615/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $102,460 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $29,392 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$18,968/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$481,820 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Dorsey College-Dearborn's own numbers. Net price $25,615 × 4 years = $102,460 total. Median earnings $29,392 fall $18,968 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 $102,460 bill in about 10.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Dorsey College-Dearborn students graduate with?
A median $13,000 in federal loans among completers, or 44% of the $29,392 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Dorsey College-Dearborn students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $102,460 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $292,743 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Dorsey College-Dearborn expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $25,615 net price runs $11,314 above the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, or $45,256 more across the full degree.