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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Hope College

Holland, Michigan

32
F
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Poor value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Poor return
$-26,194 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.

12.8 yrs
Break-even
-22%
10-year ROI
$54,230
Median earnings as of 2024
78% of Hope College students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$27,182
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$54,230
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$38,956
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$26,800
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
80%
Graduation rate as of 2024
78%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
85%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
88%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$-26,194
After 10 years
$66,106
After 20 years
$158,406
After 30 years
$250,706
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$53,088
Men
$67,601

21% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$56,732
From higher-income families
$61,929

8% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$58,489
Independent students
$59,526

2% gap between the two groups

15%
First-generation students
44%
Take federal student loans
94%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 77%Hispanic 8%Asian 3%Black 4%Other 8%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$17,606
$30k–$48k$16,590
$48k–$75k$18,206
$75k–$110k$25,017
$110k+$32,754

How Hope College compares

This college against the Michigan and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Hope College students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Hope College

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$90,232+732%Strong return
Engineering, GeneralAssociate's$87,793$27,000+567%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$83,017$27,000+492%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$75,372$27,000+373%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$72,190$25,500+327%Strong return
ChemistryAssociate's$68,029$26,636+259%Strong return
Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's$54,579$27,000+49%Break-even
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$54,295$27,000+45%Break-even
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsAssociate's$54,230$27,000+44%Break-even
Social WorkAssociate's$52,793$26,670+22%Break-even
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$52,442$27,000+16%Break-even
SociologyAssociate's$51,986$24,493+10%Break-even
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$51,887$24,499+9%Break-even
Special Education and TeachingAssociate's$50,640+4%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasAssociate's$49,887$27,000-24%Poor return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's$48,606$25,800-43%Poor return
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherAssociate's$42,935-138%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Hope College

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

79%
Admission rate
1,249
Average SAT
28
Median ACT
3,288
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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