The University of Olivet — ROI, Cost & Payback
The University of Olivet charges a net price of $21,393/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $85,572. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,907, 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, The University of Olivet does not clear its cost — it ranks #36 of 85 Michigan colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $21,393/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $85,572 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,907 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$453/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$94,632 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on The University of Olivet's own numbers. Net price $21,393 × 4 years = $85,572 total. Median earnings $47,907 fall $453 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 $85,572 bill in about 8.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do The University of Olivet students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 56% of the $47,907 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of The University of Olivet students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $85,572 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $244,491 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is The University of Olivet expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $21,393 net price runs $7,092 above the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, or $28,368 more across the full degree.