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Elizabethtown College vs King's College: which has better ROI?

Private nonprofit, Elizabethtown PA · vs · Private nonprofit, Wilkes-Barre PA

The verdict

Elizabethtown College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $106,392 in 7.6 years versus 8.3 years at King's College, on median earnings of $62,399 vs $59,498 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureElizabethtown CollegeKing's College
Net price / yr$26,598$23,093
Total net cost$106,392$92,372
Median earnings, 10 yrs$62,399$59,498
Median debt$27,000$27,000
Payback7.6 yrs8.3 yrs
20-year net return$174,388$130,388

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Elizabethtown College or King's College?

King's College, at $23,093 a year after aid versus $26,598 — a gap of $3,505 a year, or $14,020 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Elizabethtown College or King's College graduates earn more?

Elizabethtown College graduates report a median $62,399 ten years after entry, $2,901 more than the $59,498 at King's 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, Elizabethtown College or King's College?

Completers at both borrow a median $27,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.

Which graduates more of its students?

76% of students finish at Elizabethtown College, against 60% at King's College. 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.

Elizabethtown College vs King's College: frequently asked questions

Is Elizabethtown College or King's College a better value?
Elizabethtown College. It clears its $106,392 net cost in about 7.6 years versus 8.3 years at King's College, on median earnings of $62,399 vs $59,498 ten years out.
Which is cheaper, Elizabethtown College or King's College?
King's College: $23,093/yr net price after aid versus $26,598/yr at Elizabethtown College — a difference of $3,505 a year, or about $14,020 over four years.
Do Elizabethtown College or King's College graduates earn more?
Elizabethtown College graduates earn a median $62,399 ten years after entry, versus $59,498 at King's College — a $2,901 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.