Fisher College
Boston, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 70.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 23/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Fisher College, a small private nonprofit located in Boston's Back Bay, posts a Below Benchmark ROI score of 23/100. The composite is dragged down hard by a 27.8% completion rate and a 0.772 debt-to-earnings ratio. Sticker tuition is $35,689 and the average net price after aid lands at $26,649, totaling $106,596 over four years. Average earnings six years after entry are just $32,400, climbing to a median $49,669 by year ten - modest in absolute terms and especially modest given Boston's cost of living. Median federal debt is $25,000 and the 16.8-year payback period reflects how thin the earnings margin is over loan obligations. The 59.7% three-year repayment rate is well below the threshold for financial health. Fisher's downtown location and small-class promise are real, but the federal numbers indicate that for most students, this is a high-risk borrowing decision.
How Fisher 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 Score23/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate27.8% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period16.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Fisher College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,689/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,689/yr |
| Average net price | $26,649/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $106,596 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,669 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 27.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,167 |
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: $35,689/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $26,649/year, or roughly $106,596 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 $25,071/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,661/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 ($32,400) and comes to 0.77, 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 | $25,071 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $25,267 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $27,168 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,511 |
| $110,001+ | $30,661 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $25,071 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $25,267. Pell and Massachusetts state aid help, but four-year out-of-pocket cost still lands above $100,000. That's an enormous risk against the $32,400 six-year average earnings figure.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $27,168 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $26,511 (a slight inversion). The brackets are notably flat, meaning Fisher offers limited need-based discounting. Middle-income families essentially pay close to sticker.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $30,661 per year, about $122,644 over four years. Effectively full-pay. For families paying these dollars, the value case rests entirely on the urban Boston experience and small classes; the financial math does not support the cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Fisher College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Human Services, General | $48,902 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,576 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $80,136 | C |
| Psychology | $41,644 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $63,505 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $50,535 | D |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $36,306 | D |
| Accounting | $85,199 | - |
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.
Human Services, General
Human Services is Fisher's largest reported cohort (33 grads) and earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $35,289 against $29,935 of median debt yield a 0.848 debt-to-earnings ratio. Career paths into Massachusetts state agencies and Boston-area nonprofits are stable but wage trajectories are flat. PSLF can partially offset for graduates in qualifying nonprofit roles.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (32 grads) is the strongest large program: C ROI grade, $53,754 in first-year earnings rising to $69,576 by year four, $31,375 median debt, 0.584 debt-to-earnings ratio. Boston metro Business pipelines into financial services, retail management, and small-business operations support the placement.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (22 grads) earns a C ROI grade. First-year earnings of $45,695 climb to $80,136 by year four - the second-highest four-year figure on Fisher's program list. Massachusetts municipal and state law enforcement starting salaries explain the strong wage growth. This program is one of Fisher's clearest value propositions.
Psychology
Psychology (13 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $36,873 and a 0.732 debt-to-earnings ratio. Four-year earnings of just $41,644 are notably low and confirm the typical bachelor's-terminal Psychology outcome: limited career progression without graduate study.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health Administration (7 grads) earns a C ROI grade. First-year earnings of $61,133 against $36,000 of median debt produce a 0.589 ratio. Boston's hospital system actively hires for medical office administration, supporting solid placement at modest cohort size.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 59.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 49.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 56.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Fisher 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 | 70.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,167 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,855 |
Fisher admits 70.7% of applicants and does not report SAT or ACT mid-ranges, having moved fully test-optional. The relatively high admit rate combined with the absence of test data signals limited academic filtering, which correlates with the 27.8% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher College (this school) | 23 | $26,649 | $49,669 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
| William Woods University | 26 | $26,569 | $42,401 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Converse University | 21 | $23,283 | $40,867 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 39.7% and enrollment of 1,167 mark Fisher as a small, urban, mid-income leaning private. The Back Bay Boston location attracts students wanting a city college experience and small classes. Strongest outcomes come from Business Administration (32 grads, C ROI grade, $69,576 four-year earnings) and Criminal Justice (22 grads, C grade, with the relatively high $80,136 four-year earnings reflecting Massachusetts state and municipal hiring).
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Fisher College scores 23/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $26,649 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,669 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.8 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, its 27.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 59.7% (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 $32,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77. 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.
Fisher College: Common Questions
Is Fisher College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Fisher College scores 23/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $26,649 a year after aid against $49,669 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Fisher 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 $26,649 a year, or roughly $106,596 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 Fisher College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,669 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,869 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 Fisher 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 16.8 years for Fisher College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Fisher College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $32,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77. 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 Fisher College?
The six-year graduation rate is 27.8%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.