Earlham College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Earlham College charges a net price of $24,714/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $98,856. Graduates earn a median $50,797 ten years after entry, $2,437/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 40.6 years — a 20-year net return of $-50,116, a weak return — the cost is hard to justify on earnings alone. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Earlham College's 40.6-year payback ranks #1,170 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 9% of them, and #27 of 56 in Indiana.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $24,714/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $98,856 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $50,797 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $2,437/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,488 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 40.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $-50,116 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.