Elizabethtown College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Elizabethtown College charges a net price of $26,598/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $106,392. Graduates earn a median $62,399 ten years after entry, $14,039/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 7.6 years — a 20-year net return of $174,388, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Elizabethtown College's 7.6-year payback ranks #665 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 48% of them, and #68 of 169 in Pennsylvania.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $26,598/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $106,392 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $62,399 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $14,039/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 7.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $174,388 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Elizabethtown College's own numbers. Net price $26,598 × 4 years = $106,392 total. Median earnings $62,399 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $14,039 a year of premium. $106,392 ÷ $14,039 = 7.6 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $174,388. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Elizabethtown College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 43% of the $62,399 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Elizabethtown College students graduate?
76% finish their degree. Spread the $106,392 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $139,989 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Elizabethtown College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $26,598 net price runs $4,857 above the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, or $19,428 more across the full degree.