Stephens College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Stephens College charges a net price of $23,459/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $93,836. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,071, 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, Stephens College does not clear its cost — it ranks #44 of 71 Missouri colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $23,459/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $93,836 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,071 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,289/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$199,616 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Stephens College's own numbers. Net price $23,459 × 4 years = $93,836 total. Median earnings $43,071 fall $5,289 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 $93,836 bill in about 9.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Stephens College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 63% of the $43,071 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Stephens College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $93,836 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $218,223 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Stephens College expensive compared with other Missouri colleges?
Its $23,459 net price runs $5,373 above the $18,086 median across the 71 Missouri colleges we profile, or $21,492 more across the full degree.