Goshen College
Goshen, Indiana · Private Nonprofit · 84.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 60/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Goshen College earns a 60 ROI score and a Fair Value tier rating, an above-average outcome among small Christian liberal arts colleges driven primarily by exceptionally strong repayment behavior. Sticker tuition is $38,890 with a deeply discounted net price of $14,493 - a remarkable 63 percent aid discount - and four-year cost lands at $57,972, well below most private peers. Median earnings six years out are $35,600, climbing to $51,943 by year ten - producing a 29 percent earnings premium and an 11.7-year payback period. Median debt of $22,974 against earnings produces a 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio, which is on the heavy side. The standout: an 88.8 percent five-year repayment rate - the highest sub-score (93) and among the very best in our universe, reflecting the Mennonite community's strong financial culture and graduate support networks. Completion at 65 percent is solid. Strong nursing outcomes anchor the program portfolio. Goshen is a faith-aligned, value-focused small college whose aid generosity and community structure deliver legitimately competitive ROI.
Goshen College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $38,890/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $38,890/yr |
| Average net price | $14,493/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $57,972 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,943 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,974 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $244 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 65.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 773 |
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: $38,890/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $14,493/year, or roughly $57,972 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 $12,761/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,447/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $22,974 in federal loans, which works out to about $244 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $51,943 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.64, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $12,761 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,947 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,163 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,413 |
| $110,001+ | $19,447 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Lowest-income families pay $12,761 net annually - with the $30,001-$48,000 bracket at a remarkable $6,947, the lowest net price across all tiers. This is a significantly inverted bracket structure where lower-middle-income students pay roughly half what the lowest-income tier pays. Pell-eligible families should investigate this directly; aid stacking may shift this pattern individually.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $6,947 ($30K-$48K) - the cheapest band on campus - $15,163 ($48K-$75K), and $17,413 ($75K-$110K). The lower-middle tier sees an exceptional aid package; the upper-middle band pays roughly twice as much. Middle-income families considering Goshen should run their specific numbers since the bracket inversion changes the calculus significantly.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families pay $19,447 net annually, or roughly $78,000 over four years - competitive for a private college. With median 10-year earnings of $51,943, the math works reasonably well for full-pay families, particularly for nursing-bound students. Goshen's full sticker remains accessible to wealthier Mennonite-tradition families.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Goshen College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $78,185 | B |
| Social Work | $39,176 | - |
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.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Goshen's flagship-earnings program with 23 graduates, posting first-year earnings of $71,791 climbing to $78,185 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.376 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. Career paths flow into Northern Indiana hospital systems (Beacon Health, Goshen Health) and broader Indiana healthcare employers. This is the program responsible for much of the school's overall earnings story.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 8 students annually with $39,176 four-year earnings. Debt and ROI grade are not reported due to thin sample size. Most strong career paths in social work require graduate study (MSW, LCSW), so the bachelor's is best treated as a stepping-stone rather than a terminal degree. Goshen's service-and-mission orientation provides a strong cultural fit for students entering this field.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 85.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 88.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 83.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 83.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Goshen College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 84.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 440-560 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-550 |
| Enrollment | 773 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,513 |
Goshen admits 84.1 percent of applicants - broadly accessible. SAT mid-50 percent ranges run 440-560 in Math and 440-550 in Reading; ACT data is not reported, suggesting test-optional admissions are common. The 65 percent completion rate is strong relative to the access profile, a reflection of the close-knit residential Mennonite-tradition community that supports student persistence and graduation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Goshen's nearest peers include Anderson University Indiana and Bethel University Indiana - two fellow Indiana Christian privates with comparable scale - alongside Cedar Crest College, Trinity Christian College, and Northwest University. Within this peer set, Goshen's 60 ROI score and 88.8 percent repayment rate are notable strengths. Trinity Christian and Northwest serve similar Christian-college markets but Goshen's aid generosity stands out.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goshen College (this school) | 60 | $14,493 | $51,943 |
| Samford University | 62 | $32,622 | $58,469 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | 62 | $38,729 | $63,998 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | 62 | $22,866 | $59,986 |
| Cedarville University | 61 | $24,468 | $55,443 |
| Judson University | 58 | $18,558 | $56,313 |
Who Thrives Here
Goshen fits Mennonite-heritage students and others drawn to a small Christian residential campus emphasizing peace, service, and global engagement (Goshen runs a notable required Study-Service Term abroad). Enrollment is small at 773 undergraduates and Pell rate runs 35.8 percent. Strongest student outcomes accrue to nursing graduates, with B-grade ROI. The community-financial-support culture means even modest-earning graduates manage debt well, but students choosing Goshen should plan their major thoughtfully to maximize career outcomes.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Goshen College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $14,493 a year after aid ($57,972 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $51,943 a decade out, the cost takes about 11.7 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $22,974 against $51,943 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.