Dean College
Franklin, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 73.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 16/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Dean College scores 16 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale - a small private institution in Franklin, MA with 1,089 enrolled students and a $46,526 sticker tuition discounted to a $30,684 net price. The score reflects an 84.5-year payback period, a 0.871 debt-to-earnings ratio, a 53.6% completion rate, and a repayment rate of 62.1% at 7 years. Average 6-year earnings are $28,700. The combination of low earnings and high cost produces the 84.5-year payback, which is effectively infinite on any reasonable financial planning horizon. Dean College's program concentration is heavily in performing arts, exercise science, and business, with Dance (34 grads, $24,236 year-one, grade F) and Kinesiology (56 grads, $28,609 year-one, grade D) as the two largest programs by graduate count. Business Administration (28 grads, $39,200 year-one) is the only program earning a grade above D, at C. The Scorecard does not report standardized test score ranges for Dean College.
How Dean College 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 Score16/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Dean College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $46,526/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $46,526/yr |
| Average net price | $30,684/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $122,736 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,109 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,089 |
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: $46,526/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $30,684/year, or roughly $122,736 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 $26,996/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,318/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,700) and comes to 0.87, 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 | $26,996 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,798 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,640 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,161 |
| $110,001+ | $34,318 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $26,996 per year at Dean. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $26,798, essentially the same. For low-income students, net price is $27,000 per year and average 6-year earnings are $28,700. The completion rate of 53.6% adds borrowing risk on top of outcomes risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $28,640 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $31,161. These figures track closely to the lowest income brackets, indicating that Dean's aid structure does not meaningfully differentiate across income levels - the net price is nearly the same whether a family earns $30,000 or $110,000. For middle-income families, the near-flat aid schedule makes Dean an expensive choice regardless of financial circumstances. The 84.5-year payback period is calculated using median earnings, which means half of graduates face even longer payback periods than the institutional median.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $34,318 per year at Dean - a four-year total near $137,000. Against this full-pay cost, average earnings six years after entry are $28,700. Families in this income bracket who are considering Dean for a student in dance, theater, or kinesiology should recognize that the financial investment is being made in a vocation, not in earnings. The decision is legitimate if understood in those terms - but no financial analysis supports paying $34,000 per year for outcomes that produce $24,000-$29,000 in year-one earnings.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Dean College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,897 | D |
| Dance | $36,644 | F |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $36,724 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,986 | C |
| Psychology | $45,086 | D |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $33,485 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Dean's only program earning above a D grade: 28 graduates, $39,200 year-one, $62,986 at year four, grade C on $26,250 median debt. At $30,684 net price, a C-grade outcome with $39,200 year-one earnings is financially marginal - the payback on $26,250 in debt against $39,200 in year-one earnings is manageable, but the total cost of $122,736 over four years against those earnings is not.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is Dean's largest program by graduate count at 56 graduates, earning a D grade: $28,609 year-one, $46,897 at year four, debt-to-earnings 0.944 on $27,000 median debt. At $28,609 year-one in the Greater Boston area, a high cost-of-living region, kinesiology graduates face severe financial constraints. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.944 means graduates owe almost exactly their annual pre-tax income. Students who attend Dean for kinesiology with the goal of becoming physical therapists, athletic trainers, or fitness professionals should know that this bachelor's degree alone does not produce competitive earnings in the Boston market.
Dance
Dance earns an F grade: 34 graduates, $24,236 year-one, $36,644 at year four, debt-to-earnings 1.114 on $27,000 median debt. Year-one median earnings are $24,236, reflecting the severe demand limitations of professional dance as a career. Graduates owe more in debt than they earn in a year. The four-year figure of $36,644 shows modest growth. Dean's dance program has professional reputation in its field; the ROI data reflects the economics of that field, not an institutional failure. Students must enter dance at Dean knowing that the financial case does not exist.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 58.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 62.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Dean 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 | 73.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,089 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,401 |
Dean's 73.7% admission rate is broadly accessible. No standardized test score ranges are reported. The institution is likely evaluating applicants in performing arts through auditions and portfolio review rather than academic credentials alone. Prospective students should be clear about whether their goal is professional performing arts training or a credential that leads to employment - the data suggests the latter is not what Dean's primary programs deliver. Business Administration at $30,684 net price with a C grade is mediocre.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dean College (this school) | 16 | $30,684 | $38,109 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Faulkner University | 19 | $22,085 | $43,457 |
| Missouri Valley College | 16 | $18,086 | $43,221 |
Who Thrives Here
Dean admits 73.7% of applicants. The Scorecard does not report SAT or ACT score ranges. With 1,089 enrolled undergraduates and a 33.7% Pell grant rate, Dean serves a moderately mixed-income student body that is likely drawn primarily to its performing arts and sport management programs. Students who attend Dean for dance or theater are making a vocational and artistic choice; the financial data does not support it as an investment in earnings.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Dean College scores 16/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $30,684 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $38,109 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 61.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87. 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.
Dean College: Common Questions
Is Dean College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Dean College scores 16/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $30,684 a year after aid against $38,109 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Dean 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 $30,684 a year, or roughly $122,736 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 Dean College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $38,109 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 Dean 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 more than 50 years for Dean College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Dean College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $28,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87. 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 Dean College?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.6%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.