Warren Wilson College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Warren Wilson College charges a net price of $21,249/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $84,996. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,260, 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, Warren Wilson College does not clear its cost — it ranks #93 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $21,249/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $84,996 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,260 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,100/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$326,996 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Warren Wilson College's own numbers. Net price $21,249 × 4 years = $84,996 total. Median earnings $36,260 fall $12,100 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 $84,996 bill in about 8.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Warren Wilson College students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 69% of the $36,260 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Warren Wilson College students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $84,996 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $202,371 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Warren Wilson College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $21,249 net price runs $10,403 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $41,612 more across the full degree.