Fort Lewis College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fort Lewis College charges a net price of $17,296/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $69,184. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,349, 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, Fort Lewis College does not clear its cost — it ranks #20 of 50 Colorado colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,296/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $69,184 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,349 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,011/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $18,389 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$109,404 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fort Lewis College's own numbers. Net price $17,296 × 4 years = $69,184 total. Median earnings $46,349 fall $2,011 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 $69,184 bill in about 6.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fort Lewis College students graduate with?
A median $18,389 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $46,349 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fort Lewis College students graduate?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $69,184 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $192,178 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fort Lewis College expensive compared with other Colorado colleges?
Its $17,296 net price runs $829 above the $16,468 median across the 50 Colorado colleges we profile, or $3,314 more across the full degree.