Lyon College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lyon College charges a net price of $19,616/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $78,464. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,232, 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, Lyon College does not clear its cost — it ranks #13 of 47 Arkansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $19,616/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $78,464 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,232 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,128/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $21,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$161,024 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lyon College's own numbers. Net price $19,616 × 4 years = $78,464 total. Median earnings $44,232 fall $4,128 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 $78,464 bill in about 7.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lyon College students graduate with?
A median $21,500 in federal loans among completers, or 49% of the $44,232 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lyon College students graduate?
47% finish their degree — 53% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $78,464 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $166,945 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lyon College expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $19,616 net price runs $7,250 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $29,000 more across the full degree.