Davis College
Pottersville, New York · Private Nonprofit · 56.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Poor Value
Davis College earns a CampusROI score of 30 out of 100 and lands in the Poor Value tier on financial metrics. This is a 106-student Christian Bible college in Pottersville, New York, where the value proposition is denominational ministry training rather than labor-market earnings. The earnings premium reads 6.7% over high-school-only peers, the payback period is 55.5 years (i.e., never realistically), and the completion rate is 26.7%, all weak figures. The 100 sub-score on debt-to-earnings is a quirk of reporting; Scorecard records the school's median debt as null, which the algorithm reads as zero, and that is not a sign of strength but rather an indicator that most attendees fund the school through church-sponsored or family resources rather than federal loans. Sticker tuition is $18,000 and average net price is $12,875, with a four-year total cost near $51,500. Median earnings six years out are $21,600 (below high-school-only peers in many regions) and reach $38,450 by year ten. The repayment rate of 57.8% sits well below national averages. The honest read: this is a vocational training school for ministry, and the financial picture only makes sense for students whose families or churches are largely funding the cost.
The data raises concerns about Davis College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score30/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate26.7% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Davis College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,000/yr |
| Average net price | $12,875/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $51,500 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,450 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $21,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $0 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 26.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 106 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Davis College is $18,000/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $12,875/year, or roughly $51,500 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $12,875/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with N/A in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $0 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $38,450 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.00 - well within manageable territory.
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 | $12,875 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face an average net price of $12,875 per year, totaling roughly $51,500 across four years. With ten-year median earnings of $38,450, this price is genuinely difficult to recoup labor-market-wise. Low-income students should not borrow heavily for this credential without a clear ministry-employment pathway.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Net price for the $30,001 to $110,000 brackets is not reported, suggesting very few middle-income families enroll. The reporting gap is meaningful and indicates a student body concentrated at the lowest-income end.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for higher-income brackets is not reported, indicating insufficient sample size of these families enrolled. This pattern is consistent across small religious-vocational colleges where the student-body draw is concentrated among modest-income church families.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Davis College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $36,947 | 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.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies is the school's only reported program, graduating 21 students per cohort. Year-one earnings of $25,743 climb to $36,947 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 against those earnings produces a 1.05 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The on-paper math is poor, but graduates moving into established pastoral, missionary, or denominational employment may receive housing and benefits packages that don't appear in tax records. Anyone borrowing federal loans for this credential should plan a ministry pathway rather than expecting labor-market returns.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 57.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 55.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 57.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 56.3% |
| Enrollment | 106 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,500 |
Davis College admits 56.3% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with a faith-based institution that screens primarily on denominational alignment, ministry references, and statement of faith. The 26.7% completion rate paired with the moderately selective admit number suggests the screen does not reliably select for students who finish on a four-year timeline.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer schools include Adelphi University, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Orlando, Hebrew Theological College, and Saint Joseph Seminary College. Adelphi and Albany College of Pharmacy are dramatically larger and stronger institutions and not really comparable. The closer peers are Hebrew Theological College and Saint Joseph Seminary College, both small religious-vocational schools with similar mission and similar weak labor-market ROI profiles. Among true comparables, Davis sits in the middle of the pack.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davis College (this school) | 30 | $12,875 | $38,450 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico-Orlando | 28 | $16,577 | $47,540 |
| Hebrew Theological College | 27 | $26,861 | $33,291 |
| Saint Joseph Seminary College | 25 | $45,460 | $38,366 |
Who Thrives Here
Davis College serves 106 students with a 40.2% Pell rate. The fit case is narrow: students called to Christian ministry, missions, or biblical studies who specifically want training in this school's denominational tradition (Christian Churches/Churches of Christ heritage) and who can finance their education without significant borrowing. Anyone evaluating this school as a generic credentialing pathway should look elsewhere. The 26.7% completion rate is a meaningful caution flag for any borrowing student.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Davis College. With a net cost of $12,875 per year and median graduate earnings of only $38,450 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Key strengths include manageable debt relative to earnings. However, the data also shows weak earnings relative to cost and a 26.7% graduation rate and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
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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.