Ripon College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Ripon College charges a net price of $20,216/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $80,864. Graduates earn a median $54,902 ten years after entry, $6,542/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 12.4 years — a 20-year net return of $49,976, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Ripon College's 12.4-year payback ranks #883 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 31% of them, and #18 of 53 in Wisconsin.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $20,216/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $80,864 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $54,902 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $6,542/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 12.4 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $49,976 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Ripon College's own numbers. Net price $20,216 × 4 years = $80,864 total. Median earnings $54,902 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $6,542 a year of premium. $80,864 ÷ $6,542 = 12.4 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $49,976. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Ripon College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 49% of the $54,902 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Ripon College students graduate?
63% finish their degree — 37% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $80,864 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $128,356 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Ripon College expensive compared with other Wisconsin colleges?
Its $20,216 net price runs $5,023 above the $15,193 median across the 53 Wisconsin colleges we profile, or $20,092 more across the full degree.