Gordon College
Wenham, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 69.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 46/100 · Below Average Value
Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts posts a 46 ROI score, sitting in the Below Average Value tier. Gordon is a small Christian liberal arts college on the North Shore with $30,700 sticker tuition and a $24,883 net price after institutional aid. Four-year total cost is $99,532. The score's strong points are completion (68.5 percent, well above average) and repayment (an excellent 88 percent making progress at three years rising to 90 percent at seven). The weak points are earnings premium (17.2 percent) and debt-to-earnings (0.723 on $26,250 in median debt). Median earnings ten years out are $52,119 against $36,300 at six years. Payback period is 14 years. The program-level data shows Finance (year-four earnings of $83,184) and Business Administration (year-four of $73,576) as the strong cases, while Psychology, Biology, English, and Sociology cluster in D and F grades. The school does what good Christian liberal arts colleges do (high completion, strong repayment, values community) but earnings outcomes outside business are constrained.
Gordon College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $30,700/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $30,700/yr |
| Average net price | $24,883/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $99,532 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,119 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $278 |
| Estimated payback period | 14 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,278 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Gordon College is $30,700/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $24,883/year, or roughly $99,532 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $21,829/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,138/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $278 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $52,119 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.72 - 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 | $21,829 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,900 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,004 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,380 |
| $110,001+ | $27,138 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Notable inversion: families under $30,000 pay $21,829, but the $30,001 to $48,000 bracket pays less at $18,900. That is a small-sample anomaly worth flagging. Four-year cost for low-income students is approximately $87,000, against $52,119 median earnings ten years out. Combined with values fit and high completion, the math is tolerable for committed students; the inversion suggests the school's aid model has small irregularities in the lowest bracket.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $18,900 (the $30,001 to $48,000 tier) to $21,004 (the $48,001 to $75,000 tier). Total four-year cost lands around $76,000 to $84,000. This is Gordon's value sweet spot: meaningful institutional aid keeps the price tag manageable, and the strong completion rate plus repayment outcomes support the spend for committed Christian-college students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $27,138, with the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket at $24,380. The progression is normal. Four-year cost for the top bracket is approximately $108,000, which is hard to justify against the modest earnings outcomes outside Finance and Business. High-income families weighing Gordon should compare against Wheaton (IL) and other stronger Christian liberal arts peers with potentially better aid for high-stat applicants.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Gordon College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $35,529 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $73,576 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $46,723 | C |
| Teacher Education | $48,928 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $83,184 | - |
| International Relations | $37,684 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $47,495 | D |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $52,173 | - |
| Linguistic and Comparative Language Studies | $53,475 | - |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $51,479 | - |
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.
Biology
Biology is the largest cohort at 36 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of $35,529 against $26,000 in median debt produce a 0.732 debt-to-earnings ratio. Year-four earnings are not reported. The earnings figure suggests many graduates remain at the bachelor's level rather than entering professional or graduate programs; for pre-medical, pre-dental, or PhD-bound students, the trajectory changes meaningfully with the eventual credential.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 25 graduates with C grade. First-year earnings of $39,920 grow to a healthy $73,576 by year four, with $24,250 in median debt and a 0.607 debt-to-earnings ratio. The year-four earnings figure reflects placement into Boston-area finance and corporate roles. This is among the most defensible programs at Gordon, with earnings strong enough to support the debt load.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication produces 24 graduates with C grade. Year-four median earnings of $46,723 against $26,500 in median debt yield a 0.567 debt-to-earnings ratio. Career paths into nonprofit communications, religious media, corporate PR, and Boston-area marketing roles are real but modest in pay. The Christian-college context can support clearer pathways into faith-based communications work.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education shows 15 graduates with C grade. First-year earnings of $43,989 grow to $48,928 by year four, with $26,975 in debt and a 0.613 debt-to-earnings ratio. Reflects Massachusetts teacher pay scales which are above national average but constrained by the debt load. The credential is portable across MA public and private school systems.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance produces 13 graduates. Year-four median earnings of $83,184 are exceptional for a small Christian liberal arts college, reflecting placement into Boston-area asset management, banking, and corporate-finance roles. Debt and ROI grade are not reported, but at this earnings level the program is one of the strongest financial cases at Gordon despite the small cohort size.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 86.6% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 88.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 88.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 90.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 69.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 550-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580-695 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-31 |
| Enrollment | 1,278 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,927 |
Gordon admits 69.2 percent of applicants. SAT mid-range is 550 to 660 math and 580 to 695 reading; ACT mid-range is 25 to 31. These are strong mid-ranges, comfortably above national medians. The 68.5 percent completion rate is excellent and reflects the school's small-college support infrastructure plus the mission alignment of admitted students. Prepared students scoring in the upper mid-range should expect admission and have a high probability of completing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Named peers are American International College, Amherst College, Lubbock Christian University, Hartwick College, and Knox College. The Amherst pairing is a clear algorithmic mismatch; Amherst is in a different selectivity tier entirely. Knox College in Illinois and Hartwick College in NY are closer structural peers (small private liberal arts) and typically post Below Average to Fair Value scores. Lubbock Christian is the closest faith-based peer. Gordon's repayment rate of 88 percent significantly outperforms most of this cluster.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon College (this school) | 46 | $24,883 | $52,119 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | 47 | $22,409 | $51,673 |
| Georgetown College | 47 | $14,095 | $52,074 |
| Maranatha Baptist University | 47 | $26,005 | $45,593 |
| Lubbock Christian University | 46 | $24,456 | $53,787 |
| Erskine College | 45 | $16,525 | $53,459 |
Who Thrives Here
Gordon fits a student specifically seeking an evangelical Christian liberal arts environment with strong residential life, ideally targeting Business Administration or Finance, and able to secure institutional aid that brings the net price down. Pell rate is just 20.8 percent, indicating a higher-income student body. Enrollment is 1,278, small and intentional. The school's high completion and repayment rates suggest students who arrive finish and stay current on debt, which is the right baseline for a values-purchase decision. Poor fits are students drawn to Gordon's atmosphere but committing to weaker-earning humanities tracks (Psychology, English, Biology terminal bachelor's) without graduate plans.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The financial case for Gordon College is mixed. At $24,883 per year net cost, graduates earn a median of $52,119 ten years after entry - a payback period of 14 years. That's below the average return for four-year institutions, and prospective students should carefully consider whether the investment aligns with their financial goals.
Key strengths include a 68.5% graduation rate, high loan repayment success. However, the data also shows weak earnings relative to cost and high debt relative to what graduates earn and a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,250 against $52,119 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.