Garrett College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Garrett College charges a net price of $9,228/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,456. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,823, 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, Garrett College does not clear its cost — it ranks #43 of 52 Maryland colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,228/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,456 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,823 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,537/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$269,196 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Garrett College's own numbers. Net price $9,228 × 2 years = $18,456 total. Median earnings $35,823 fall $12,537 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 $18,456 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Garrett College students graduate with?
A median $10,750 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $35,823 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Garrett College students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,456 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $54,282 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Garrett College expensive compared with other Maryland colleges?
Its $9,228 net price runs $8,350 below the $17,578 median across the 52 Maryland colleges we profile, and $16,700 less across the full degree.