College of the Atlantic
Bar Harbor, Maine · Private Nonprofit · 70.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, ME) scores 25 (Below Benchmark). The data is striking: $20,500 average 6-year earnings, a 45.7-year payback period, and a 1.222 debt-to-earnings ratio. The only reported program (Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, General) earns $23,003 at year one and $31,138 at year four. COA offers a single-degree program in Human Ecology - every student graduates with a BA in Human Ecology, with self-designed concentrations in ecology, environmental studies, social sciences, or arts. The school deliberately targets students pursuing environmental and social good careers rather than high-wage outcomes. The ROI score reflects this mission accurately.
How College of the Atlantic scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.22 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- Payback period45.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
College of the Atlantic
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $47,997/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $47,997/yr |
| Average net price | $25,184/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $100,736 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,264 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $20,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,050 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $266 |
| Estimated payback period | 45.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 353 |
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: $47,997/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,184/year, or roughly $100,736 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 $20,415/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,684/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,050, which works out to about $266 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($20,500) and comes to 1.22, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least 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 | $20,415 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,942 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,650 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,266 |
| $110,001+ | $34,684 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (under $30,000) pay $20,415 per year - roughly $82,000 over four years. Against average earnings of $20,500 at six years, this is a financially difficult position for low-income students who rely on loan repayment. COA's 81.7% repayment rate at year one and 87.9% at year seven suggest graduates do manage their debt, but the process is slow. Low-income students should carefully model expected career earnings against loan obligations before enrolling.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-48,000 bracket actually pays $13,942 - the lowest net price in the schedule - and the $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $16,650. The unusual dip at the 30001-48000 bracket may reflect a targeted aid program or small-sample data volatility. Middle-income families should use COA's price calculator directly. At any price point, the 45.7-year payback period reflects that COA graduates do not pursue high-wage careers, by design.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $34,684 per year - about $139,000 over four years. This is a large absolute commitment against $20,500 average six-year earnings. The year-one repayment rate is 83.1% and the year-seven rate is 87.9%.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at College of the Atlantic with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $31,138 | 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.
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
This is the only program COA reports - all students graduate with a BA in Human Ecology under this CIP code. Year-one median earnings are $23,003 and year-four earnings are $31,138, with an F ROI grade and 1.107 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates entering environmental nonprofits, ecological research, marine science support roles, or graduate programs in ecology or environmental policy will be in roles that the Scorecard data accurately captures as low-wage in the near term. The 45.7-year payback period is not a meaningful financial planning number for COA students - it is a signal that this school is not chosen for financial return.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 83.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 87.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How College of the Atlantic’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 | 70.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 580-700 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 660-730 |
| Enrollment | 353 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,002 |
At 70.2% acceptance with SAT Reading mid-range of 660-730, COA is moderately selective and draws a self-selected applicant pool interested in its unusual single-degree model. The high verbal scores relative to math (580-700) suggest a humanities and social science leaning. Applicants who thrive in interdisciplinary, project-based environments with small seminar formats are the target profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Atlantic (this school) | 25 | $25,184 | $40,264 |
| Bowdoin College | 92 | $14,398 | $82,735 |
| Bates College | 82 | $29,351 | $69,498 |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University | 30 | $22,814 | $42,643 |
| University of the Southwest | 27 | $16,927 | $45,389 |
| Touro University Worldwide | 24 | $19,058 | $40,803 |
Who Thrives Here
College of the Atlantic admits 70.2% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 580-700 Math and 660-730 Reading. COA has 353 students and a 28.1% Pell grant rate. This school fits students with a strong commitment to environmental work, ecological research, or sustainability careers who understand that near-term earnings will be modest.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, College of the Atlantic scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $25,184 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,264 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 45.7 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What it has going for it: its 68.3% graduation rate, high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,050 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $20,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
College of the Atlantic: Common Questions
Is College of the Atlantic worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. College of the Atlantic scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $25,184 a year after aid against $40,264 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 45.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does College of the Atlantic 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 $25,184 a year, or roughly $100,736 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 College of the Atlantic graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,264 ten years after enrolling, at or below 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 College of the Atlantic?
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 45.7 years for College of the Atlantic. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do College of the Atlantic graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,050, against average earnings of $20,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at College of the Atlantic?
The six-year graduation rate is 68.3%, 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.