Coe College
Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 64.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 60/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa scores 60 in the Fair Value tier. The headline is the institutional discount: tuition lists at $54,666 but net price drops to $18,745, a 66% institutional discount. Four-year cost totals $74,980. Earnings climb from $38,700 at six years to $57,125 at ten - a strong 48% growth reflecting graduates building careers across Iowa's diversified economy. The payback period is 9.7 years. Standout strengths: completion at 65.9% (well above the small-private median), repayment at 84.8% three-year (excellent), and a portfolio of programs (nursing, physics, accounting) earning B-grade ROI. The drag is the 0.698 debt-to-earnings ratio against $27,000 of median debt. Coe is a real liberal-arts college that delivers genuine outcomes for students who finish.
Coe College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $54,666/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $54,666/yr |
| Average net price | $18,745/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $74,980 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $57,125 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 65.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,164 |
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: $54,666/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $18,745/year, or roughly $74,980 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 $11,479/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,167/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($38,700) and comes to 0.70, 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 | $11,479 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,523 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,475 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,223 |
| $110,001+ | $27,167 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $11,479 net per year. With Pell ($7,395 max) and Iowa Tuition Grant aid, the actual out-of-pocket can be very low. Across four years that's $46K, genuinely competitive with Iowa publics for low-income students. Combined with the 65.9% completion rate, this is a solid value play for low-income Iowa students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Brackets behave normally: $30,001-$48,000 pays $11,523, $48,001-$75,000 pays $14,475, $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $20,223. Middle-income Iowa families face $46K-$81K over four years. The $75K+ bracket starts to feel the squeeze.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $27,167 - well below sticker but still substantial. High-income families considering Coe over the publics are typically choosing the small-college community and discussion-class environment over price.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Coe College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,619 | C |
| Biology | $62,172 | C |
| Psychology | $55,024 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $79,294 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $52,880 | C+ |
| Economics | $42,311 | C |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $58,716 | C |
| Teacher Education | $49,498 | C+ |
| Accounting | $81,408 | B |
| History | $58,240 | - |
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.
Accounting
Accounting is Coe's standout: 11 graduates with $59,252 first-year and $81,408 four-year earnings against $26,000 debt - a 0.439 ratio and B grade. Cedar Rapids has a deep accounting employer base (Transamerica, Aegon, Collins Aerospace, plus regional CPA firms) and Coe accounting majors feed into both. The 37% earnings ramp into year four signals real career progression to senior-analyst and CPA-track roles. Strong cost-outcome math.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (18 graduates) shows $67,769 first-year and $79,294 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.398 ratio and B grade. Cedar Rapids healthcare (Mercy Medical Center, UnityPoint Health) plus broader Iowa healthcare absorb BSN graduates at strong starting pay. Solid value-positive program.
Physics
Physics is small (8 graduates) but strong: $61,162 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.441 ratio and B grade. Coe physics graduates feed into Collins Aerospace engineering roles, plus graduate-school pipelines for those continuing in academia. Niche but high-quality program.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is the largest program (50 graduates) with $47,815 first-year and $64,619 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.565 ratio and C grade. Students should specialize in finance or accounting concentrations to push outcomes higher.
Psychology
Psychology (26 graduates) shows $37,072 first-year and $55,024 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.728 ratio and D grade. Coe psych students should plan for clinical-psych, counseling, or social-work graduate programs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 88.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Coe 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 | 64.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-640 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 23-29 |
| Enrollment | 1,164 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,291 |
Coe admits 64% of applicants. SAT mid-50% bands run Math 530-650 and Reading 540-640. The 65.9% completion rate is consistent with this admissions selectivity and the school's residential community structure. Prepared, full-time students who choose Coe tend to finish on time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coe College (this school) | 60 | $18,745 | $57,125 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Saint Vincent College | 61 | $23,510 | $59,982 |
| Briar Cliff University | 46 | $23,907 | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | 39 | $18,846 | $49,156 |
Who Thrives Here
Coe fits Iowa and upper-Midwest students who want a small residential liberal-arts experience and value the school's academic rigor. Enrollment of 1,164 with a 35.8% Pell rate is balanced - more middle-class than working-class. Outcomes look strongest for nursing, physics, and accounting graduates (all B grade). Cedar Rapids' diversified employer base (Rockwell Collins/Collins Aerospace, Transamerica, Quaker Oats, plus regional healthcare) provides reliable career paths.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Coe College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,745 a year after aid ($74,980 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $57,125 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $38,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. 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.
Coe College: Common Questions
Is Coe College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Coe College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 60/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,745 a year after aid ($74,980 over four years) against $57,125 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Coe 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 $18,745 a year, or roughly $74,980 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 Coe College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $57,125 ten years after enrolling, roughly $15,325 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 Coe 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 9.7 years for Coe College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Coe College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $38,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. 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 Coe College?
The six-year graduation rate is 65.9%, 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.