Rust College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Rust College charges a net price of $12,587/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $50,348. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,275, 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, Rust College does not clear its cost — it ranks #29 of 32 Mississippi colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,587/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $50,348 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,275 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,085/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,159 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$372,048 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Rust College's own numbers. Net price $12,587 × 4 years = $50,348 total. Median earnings $32,275 fall $16,085 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 $50,348 bill in about 5.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Rust College students graduate with?
A median $26,159 in federal loans among completers, or 81% of the $32,275 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Rust College students graduate?
12% finish their degree — 88% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $50,348 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $419,567 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Rust College expensive compared with other Mississippi colleges?
Its $12,587 net price runs $3,573 above the $9,015 median across the 32 Mississippi colleges we profile, or $14,290 more across the full degree.