Coe College
Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Private Nonprofit · 64.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 60/100 · Fair Value
Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa scores 60 in the Fair Value tier -- a strong showing for a small Midwestern liberal-arts college. The headline is the massive institutional discount: tuition lists at $54,666 but net price drops to $18,745, a 66% institutional discount that's among the most generous in our dataset. Four-year cost totals $74,980 -- competitive with Iowa's flagship publics. Median 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 9.7-year payback period is solidly mid-pack. 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 -- moderate compared to public peers. Coe is a real liberal-arts college that delivers genuine outcomes for students who finish, and the institutional aid policy is structured to make it accessible to middle and lower-income Iowa families.
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 |
| Median 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 sticker price at Coe College is $54,666/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $18,745/year, or roughly $74,980 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $11,479/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,167/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $57,125 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.70 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 -- below in-state public tuition at Iowa State. 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 one of the better small-private value plays 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 lower brackets are remarkable bargains for a private liberal-arts college. 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. At $109K over four years, the math is competitive with Iowa State's full-pay rate. 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. Solid mid-tier outcome reflecting Cedar Rapids' diverse white-collar economy. 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. The four-year earnings ramp is real (48% growth) and the debt-to-earnings ratio is better than at most schools, but the standard psychology problem applies: bachelor's-only earnings are weak without graduate school. Coe psych students should plan for clinical-psych, counseling, or social-work graduate programs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 88.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
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, which is meaningfully more selective than most small Iowa privates. SAT mid-50% bands run Math 530-650 and Reading 540-640; ACT 23-29 -- describing a solidly above-average academic profile typical of regional liberal-arts colleges. 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.
Among peers, Coe leads. Briar Cliff University and Buena Vista (both also Iowa) post weaker outcomes -- Coe's stronger admissions and brand pull it ahead. Walla Walla University in Washington is a similar small religious liberal-arts college with comparable mid-tier ROI. Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania is a similar Catholic liberal-arts school with comparable cost-outcome math. AdventHealth University is healthcare-focused with different demographics. Within this peer cohort, Coe is the strongest ROI play, primarily because of generous institutional aid and meaningful 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. Students should price-shop hard against Iowa State or University of Iowa and use Coe's institutional aid as the negotiating lever.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Coe College offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $18,745 per year leads to $74,980 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $57,125 a decade out. The payback period of 9.7 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
Key strengths include high loan repayment success. However, the data also shows high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $27,000 against $57,125 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.