Hesston College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Hesston College charges a net price of $26,299/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $52,598. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,495, 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, Hesston College does not clear its cost — it ranks #24 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $26,299/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $52,598 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,495 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$865/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$69,898 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Hesston College's own numbers. Net price $26,299 × 2 years = $52,598 total. Median earnings $47,495 fall $865 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 $52,598 bill in about 5.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Hesston College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $47,495 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Hesston College students graduate?
61% finish their degree — 39% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $52,598 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $86,226 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Hesston College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $26,299 net price runs $11,019 above the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, or $22,038 more across the full degree.