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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia

42
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

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

Break-even
+$62,239 over 10 years

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

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

6.3 yrs
Break-even
+58%
10-year ROI
$62,009
Median earnings as of 2024
80% of Roanoke 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

$24,503
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$62,009
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$32,550
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$27,000
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
67%
Graduation rate as of 2024
80%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
81%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
76%
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.

$62,239
After 10 years
$232,329
After 20 years
$402,419
After 30 years
$572,509
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
$55,497
Men
$60,665

9% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$51,344
From higher-income families
$61,661

17% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$58,652
Independent students
$44,932

23% gap between the two groups

21%
First-generation students
80%
Take federal student loans
94%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 76%Hispanic 7%Asian 2%Black 7%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$15,204
$30k–$48k$17,410
$48k–$75k$18,638
$75k–$110k$15,902
$110k+$30,087

How Roanoke College compares

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

Graduate earnings over time

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

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Best-paying majors at Roanoke 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
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$67,877$27,000+289%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$67,033$26,000+277%Strong return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$62,009$27,000+189%Strong return
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$48,535$27,000-40%Poor return
HistoryAssociate's$48,394$27,000-42%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

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

ROI at Roanoke 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

83%
Admission rate
1,211
Average SAT
25
Median ACT
1,767
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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