Thomas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Thomas College charges a net price of $18,885/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $75,540. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,991, 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, Thomas College does not clear its cost — it ranks #14 of 27 Maine colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,885/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $75,540 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,991 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,369/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$142,920 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Thomas College's own numbers. Net price $18,885 × 4 years = $75,540 total. Median earnings $44,991 fall $3,369 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 $75,540 bill in about 7.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Thomas College students graduate with?
A median $24,250 in federal loans among completers, or 54% of the $44,991 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Thomas College students graduate?
54% finish their degree — 46% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $75,540 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $139,889 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Thomas College expensive compared with other Maine colleges?
Its $18,885 net price runs $1,705 above the $17,180 median across the 27 Maine colleges we profile, or $6,820 more across the full degree.