Bates College vs Maine College of Health Professions: which has better ROI?
Maine College of Health Professions has the better ROI: it clears its 2-year net cost of $52,624 in 1.7 years versus 5.6 years at Bates College, on median earnings of $79,840 vs $69,498 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bates College | Maine College of Health Professions |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,351 | $26,312 |
| Total net cost | $117,404 | $52,624 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $69,498 | $79,840 |
| Median debt | $14,275 | $15,250 |
| Payback | 5.6 yrs | 1.7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $305,356 | $576,976 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Bates College or Maine College of Health Professions?
Maine College of Health Professions, at $26,312 a year after aid versus $29,351 — a gap of $3,039 a year, or $64,780 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Bates College or Maine College of Health Professions graduates earn more?
Maine College of Health Professions graduates report a median $79,840 ten years after entry, $10,342 more than the $69,498 at Bates College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which leaves students with less debt, Bates College or Maine College of Health Professions?
Bates College: its completers carry a median $14,275 in federal loans versus $15,250 at Maine College of Health Professions, a difference of $975. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
90% of students finish at Bates College, against 67% at Maine College of Health Professions. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.