Beacon College
Leesburg, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 43.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida is a specialized private nonprofit serving students with learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences - a mission that fundamentally shapes how to read its ROI numbers. The Poor Value score of 27/100 reflects two hard realities: a 999-year payback period (earnings never recoup cost in any plausible timeline) and a slightly negative earnings premium of -2.6% (graduates earn marginally less than typical high-school grads). Tuition is $51,680 per year, with a net price of $53,517 that actually exceeds tuition - meaning aid is minimal and the full cost lands at roughly $214,068 over four years. Median ten-year earnings are just $29,420. The bright spot is a 60.2% completion rate, which is meaningful given Beacon's mission: students who succeed here have often struggled at conventional colleges, and the institution provides the structure to finish. Six-year median earnings are not reported (small cohort or suppressed). The honest read: Beacon is one of the only fully-LD-accredited bachelor's institutions in the country, and for families with means seeking that specialized support, the financial framework misses the point. For families without significant resources, the cost is genuinely prohibitive.
The data raises concerns about Beacon College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score27/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers - the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Beacon College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $51,680/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $51,680/yr |
| Average net price | $53,517/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $214,068 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $29,420 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 60.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 506 |
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: $51,680/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $53,517/year, or roughly $214,068 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 $47,601/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $58,721/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $25,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $29,420 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to N/A, which we can't fully judge without more data.
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 | $47,601 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $47,213 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $52,117 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $55,423 |
| $110,001+ | $58,721 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 still pay $47,601 per year net - one of the highest net prices in the country for the lowest income bracket. Four-year cost is $190,000+. The institutional aid does not scale meaningfully with need. For most low-income families, Beacon is simply out of reach without external scholarship or family resources.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $47,213 (curiously slightly less than the lowest bracket - a minor inverted-bracket flag), then $52,117 and $55,423 for the higher brackets. Four-year cost runs $189,000-$222,000. Even families earning $75,000-$110,000 face a price tag that essentially requires significant borrowing or substantial family savings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $58,721 per year - more than sticker tuition because of room, board, and fees. Four-year cost is $234,884. This is the income range where Beacon is genuinely accessible, and where families paying for specialized LD support typically come from. The non-financial value of the mission may justify the cost for these families.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Beacon College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 43.5% |
| Enrollment | 506 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 23.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,234 |
Beacon admits 43.47% of applicants - moderately selective, but the selectivity reflects fit screening (the school accepts only students with documented learning differences) rather than academic gatekeeping. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with a test-optional approach for an LD-focused population where standardized tests often understate ability. The completion rate of 60% is remarkable given the population served.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Scorecard's peer set includes Baptist University of Florida, Barry University (Miami), Calumet College of Saint Joseph, Touro University Worldwide (online), and Sterling College in Kansas. None of these peers shares Beacon's LD-specialization mission, so the comparison is structurally weak. Beacon's ROI score sits at the bottom of the group because of its uniquely high cost, but its completion rate is competitive with the small-private peers in the set.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon College (this school) | 27 | $53,517 | $29,420 |
| Barry University | 42 | $22,613 | $55,966 |
| Baptist University of Florida | 31 | $10,372 | $42,836 |
| Calumet College of Saint Joseph | 29 | $22,451 | $46,945 |
| Sterling College | 26 | $22,371 | $45,846 |
| Touro University Worldwide | 24 | $19,058 | $40,803 |
Who Thrives Here
Beacon enrolls 506 students with a 23.5% Pell rate. The fit is highly specific: students with documented learning disabilities (especially dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD) whose families can afford or finance roughly $214,000 in four-year costs. For this population, no real substitute exists - most colleges offer accommodations, but few build the entire institutional model around LD support. Strong outcomes for the intended audience are persistence and credential attainment, not labor-market earnings premiums.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Beacon College are a real concern. With a net cost of $53,517 per year and the typical graduate earning only $29,420 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a long payback period.
Be careful with the debt here. A median $25,000 owed against $29,420 in earnings is heavy, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85 is past the level advisors flag. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Beacon College: Common Questions
Is Beacon College worth it?
In our view, the numbers are a real concern - for most students the financial return does not justify the cost. Beacon College scores 27/100 on our ROI scale. At $53,517 a year after aid against $29,420 in typical earnings ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years.
How much does Beacon College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $53,517 a year, or roughly $214,068 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Beacon College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $29,420 ten years after enrolling, near the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Beacon 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 >50 years for Beacon College. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
How much debt do Beacon College graduates take on?
Median debt at graduation is about $25,000, against $29,420 in typical earnings a decade out. At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85, that is past the level advisors flag, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Beacon College?
The six-year graduation rate is 60.2%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.