Champlain College
Burlington, Vermont · Private Nonprofit · 82.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 49/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Champlain College scores 49 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale. The headline tension is clear: a $47,850 tuition and $35,860 average net price paired with $42,200 average 6-year earnings and a 12.1-year payback period. Champlain's technology programs, particularly Computer/IT Administration (154 graduates, $72,652 year-one, ROI grade B) and Security Science and Technology (69 graduates, $70,586 year-one, ROI grade B), produce genuine outcomes. But the college's creative programs - Film/Video (21 graduates, $21,092 year-one, ROI grade F), Rhetoric and Writing (15 graduates, $23,237 year-one, ROI grade F), and Design (56 graduates, $38,264 year-one, ROI grade D) - carry F-grade ROI scores with debt exceeding year-one earnings. The 65.2% completion rate is adequate but not strong. Champlain's value proposition depends entirely on which program a student enrolls in.
Champlain College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $47,850/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $47,850/yr |
| Average net price | $35,860/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $143,440 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $58,386 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,814 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $284 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 65.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,752 |
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: $47,850/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $35,860/year, or roughly $143,440 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 $28,885/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $41,438/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,814, which works out to about $284 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($42,200) and comes to 0.64, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $28,885 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,034 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $34,164 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $33,857 |
| $110,001+ | $41,438 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $28,885 net price per year at Champlain. Average 6-year earnings at the school are $42,200. The 25% Pell grant rate indicates Champlain enrolls a modest low-income population.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $34,164 per year; those earning $75,001-$110,000 pay $33,857. A student paying $34k per year for four years accumulates $136,000+ in total costs against $42,200 average 6-year earnings. The case for this investment is strongest for cybersecurity and IT students with strong employment prospects; it is weakest for creative program students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $41,438 per year, totaling about $165,752 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Champlain College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer/Information Technology Administration | $112,282 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,076 | C |
| Security Science and Technology | $101,401 | B |
| Design and Applied Arts | $54,561 | D |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $57,883 | D |
| Accounting | $68,274 | B |
| Marketing | $60,198 | C |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $35,945 | F |
| Computer Science | $97,753 | C+ |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $47,141 | F |
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.
Computer/Information Technology Administration
Computer/IT Administration is Champlain's best ROI program by volume and earnings: 154 graduates, $72,652 year-one, $112,282 year-four, ROI grade B, debt-to-earnings 0.372. The program feeds into IT administration, network management, and systems roles in government, defense, and private sector. The four-year trajectory from $72k to $112k is strong and reflects career advancement in IT management. Median debt of $27,000 against $72k year-one earnings is manageable, though steep relative to the high net price at Champlain.
Security Science and Technology
Security Science and Technology has 69 graduates earning $70,586 year-one and $101,401 year-four, ROI grade B, debt-to-earnings 0.412. Champlain's cybersecurity program has a national reputation and clear employer pipelines into federal agencies and defense contractors. The Vermont location may seem incongruous with Washington D.C.-focused hiring, but remote work norms and Champlain's deliberate employer relationships mitigate geography. The four-year earnings are $101k.
Design and Applied Arts
Design and Applied Arts has 56 graduates earning $38,264 year-one and $54,561 year-four, ROI grade D, debt-to-earnings 0.703. Median debt of $26,885 against $38k starting salary is a difficult ratio at Champlain's price point. The four-year figure of $54k suggests moderate career progression, but the path from $35,860 net price to $38k year-one earnings is financially stressful.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/Video and Photography is Champlain's weakest tracked program: 21 graduates, $21,092 year-one, $35,945 year-four, ROI grade F, debt-to-earnings 1.280. Graduates owe more than a year and a quarter of their salary at year one. With median debt of $27,000 and year-one earnings of $21,092, the monthly payment burden relative to income is heavy. This program, at Champlain's price, is a significant financial risk.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration has 71 graduates earning $46,334 year-one and $69,076 year-four, ROI grade C, debt-to-earnings 0.561. Champlain's business program is not what drives the school's employer reputation.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 83.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 83.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 85.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Champlain 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 | 82.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 600-680 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 620-700 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 26-29 |
| Enrollment | 2,752 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 25.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,955 |
At 82.9% acceptance with a moderate SAT/ACT profile, Champlain is accessible to most college-ready applicants. The moderate selectivity means admission does not guarantee program success - Champlain's strongest outcomes come from students who are strongly committed to its technology focus. Prospective students in creative programs should research employment rates specifically, as the earnings data for those tracks are materially weak.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Champlain's ROI is 49. Its overall score is weighed down by the creative program F-grades and the high net price.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champlain College (this school) | 49 | $35,860 | $58,386 |
| Middlebury College | 86 | $31,483 | $76,310 |
| Carthage College | 51 | $26,565 | $56,950 |
| Campbell University | 49 | $24,516 | $54,886 |
| Hawaii Pacific University | 48 | $29,657 | $59,593 |
| Bennington College | 26 | $30,947 | $38,289 |
Who Thrives Here
Champlain admits 82.9% of applicants with SAT ranges of 600-680 Math and 620-700 Reading and ACT 26-29 composite. At 2,752 undergraduates in Burlington, Vermont, Champlain is a small professionally-oriented college that has built a national reputation in cybersecurity and game development. Students targeting cybersecurity, IT administration, or related technology fields will find a focused curriculum and strong employer relationships, particularly in government and defense sectors. Students entering design, film, or creative writing programs at Champlain's price point should examine the earnings data carefully before committing.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Champlain College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $35,860 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $58,386 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 12.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $26,814 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $42,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Champlain College: Common Questions
Is Champlain College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Champlain College scores 49/100 on our ROI scale. At $35,860 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $58,386 ten years after entry, so it takes about 12.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Champlain 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 $35,860 a year, or roughly $143,440 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 Champlain College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $58,386 ten years after enrolling, roughly $16,586 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 Champlain 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 12.1 years for Champlain College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Champlain College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,814, against average earnings of $42,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Champlain College?
The six-year graduation rate is 65.2%, 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.
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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.