Mary Baldwin University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Mary Baldwin University charges a net price of $12,756/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $51,024. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,427, 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, Mary Baldwin University does not clear its cost — it ranks #39 of 81 Virginia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,756/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $51,024 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,427 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,933/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,586 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$129,684 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Mary Baldwin University's own numbers. Net price $12,756 × 4 years = $51,024 total. Median earnings $44,427 fall $3,933 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 $51,024 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Mary Baldwin University students graduate with?
A median $26,586 in federal loans among completers, or 60% of the $44,427 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Mary Baldwin University students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $51,024 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $130,831 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Mary Baldwin University expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $12,756 net price runs $6,310 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $25,240 less across the full degree.