Babson College
Wellesley, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 17.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 96/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Babson College scores 96 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. The fundamentals are exceptional: a 3.4-year payback period, $77,000 average 6-year earnings, 93.1% completion rate, and a repayment rate of 94.9%. Median debt of $20,000 is low relative to sticker tuition of $57,152 and net price of $40,514. The 10-year earnings of $123,938 is a direct statement of what a Babson degree delivers to career-track graduates. Babson is a single-mission institution: entrepreneurship and business, full stop. The Scorecard reports one program - Business Administration, Management, and Operations (702 graduates) - which earns $69,970 year one and $107,520 at year four. All 702 graduates went through this single pipeline. The institution's ROI strength derives from a concentrated alumni network in entrepreneurship, venture capital, consulting, and finance, combined with a rigorous business-only curriculum. The net price of $40,514 is high in absolute terms, but the payback math works at this earnings velocity. Low-income students pay $23,641 per year, moderate relative to expected outcomes.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 3.4 years. The median across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Babson College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $57,152/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $57,152/yr |
| Average net price | $40,514/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $162,056 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $123,938 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $77,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $212 |
| Estimated payback period | 3.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 93.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,728 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $57,152/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $40,514/year, or roughly $162,056 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $23,641/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $80,192/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,000, which works out to about $212 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($77,000) and comes to 0.26, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $23,641 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,077 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,861 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $55,470 |
| $110,001+ | $80,192 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $23,641 per year. Against $77,000 average 6-year earnings and a 3.4-year payback, even the lowest-income bracket achieves payback well within a standard loan term. The 93.1% completion rate further mitigates dropout risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $16,861 (lower than the lowest bracket - the aid formula inverts here, which is unusual) and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $55,470. The jump to $55,470 at the upper-middle bracket is steep. Families in the $75k-$110k range face nearly full sticker price dynamics. At $77,000 average 6-year earnings, the financial case remains defensible but requires careful modeling for families in this specific bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $80,192 per year - full sticker or above. Over four years, this approaches $320,000 in total cost. The payback period is 3.4 years, and ten-year median earnings are $123,938. The payback math holds even at full cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Babson College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $107,520 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations is the only program at Babson (702 graduates) and delivers $69,970 year one and $107,520 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.329 (B+ grade) and median debt of $23,000. The four-year trajectory to $107k reflects the Babson alumni network in consulting, investment banking, and entrepreneurship. Year-one earnings of $70k are exceptionally strong for a business bachelor's program nationally. The concentration of the program means every metric here describes the full institution.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 94.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 91.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 94.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Babson College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 17.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 720-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 670-740 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-34 |
| Enrollment | 2,728 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 16.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $20,620 |
At 17.1%, Babson is selective. SAT 720-790 Math and 670-740 Reading indicates strong quantitative and verbal preparation. ACT 31-34 composite. The business focus means admissions evaluates entrepreneurial interest, initiative, and leadership alongside academic performance. Students with demonstrated business experience, startup exposure, or clear entrepreneurial goals are preferred.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Babson's ROI is in the Exceptional Value tier under our methodology.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babson College (this school) | 96 | $40,514 | $123,938 |
| Colby College | 94 | $17,180 | $80,490 |
| Colgate University | 92 | $28,786 | $85,139 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| Wesleyan University | 85 | $30,177 | $73,897 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Who Thrives Here
Babson admits 17.1% of applicants, with SAT mid-ranges of 720-790 Math and 670-740 Reading; ACT 31-34. Enrollment of 2,728 is moderate. Pell grant rate of 16.3% indicates a predominantly non-low-income student body. Babson attracts students who are genuinely interested in starting businesses, entering venture-backed startups, or taking senior roles in established companies. The single-major structure (everyone is a business major) means students with strong interest in sciences, arts, engineering, or humanities will find a curricular mismatch.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Babson College is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $162,056 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $123,938 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 3.4 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 93.1% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $20,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $77,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Babson College: Common Questions
Is Babson College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Babson College pays off. It scores 96/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $40,514 a year after aid ($162,056 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $123,938 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 3.4 years to earn back.
How much does Babson College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $40,514 a year, or roughly $162,056 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Babson College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $123,938 ten years after enrolling, roughly $82,138 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Babson College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 3.4 years for Babson College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Babson College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,000, against average earnings of $77,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Babson College?
The six-year graduation rate is 93.1%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.