Goucher College
Baltimore, Maryland · Private Nonprofit · 77.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Poor Value
Goucher College, a small private liberal arts school in Baltimore, lands in CampusROI's Poor Value tier with an overall ROI score of 43. The math is unforgiving: sticker tuition is $53,350, and even after institutional aid the average net price still runs $22,470 per year, putting the four-year cost at roughly $90,000. Median federal debt at graduation is $26,000, and 10-year median earnings of $53,023 leave alumni with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82, the single weakest input to Goucher's score (sub-score 13). The 12.8-year payback period reinforces that picture. There are real bright spots, though: 85% on the repayment sub-score reflects a strong 84.8% three-year repayment rate, meaning Goucher graduates do reliably service their loans even when the ratio is heavy. Completion is middling at 57.3%, and the earnings premium sub-score of 41 is below average for a four-year private. The bottom line: Goucher is academically respectable and graduates are credit-worthy, but the price-to-earnings gap is wide and most attendees will need significant merit aid or a high-earning major to make the math work.
The data raises concerns about Goucher College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score43/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
Goucher College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $53,350/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $53,350/yr |
| Average net price | $22,470/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $89,880 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,023 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 964 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Goucher College is $53,350/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $22,470/year, or roughly $89,880 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $13,471/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,220/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $276 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $53,023 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.82 - 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 | $13,471 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,066 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,403 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,781 |
| $110,001+ | $32,220 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of $13,471, which is the most defensible math at Goucher. Over four years that is roughly $54,000, well below the $26,000 federal debt median graduates actually leave with -- meaning Pell-eligible students who finish are funded reasonably well. The risk is the 43% non-completion rate; for low-income students, leaving without a degree is the worst possible outcome at this price.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $48,001-$75,000 bracket pay $20,403 net, and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $24,781 -- meaning a typical middle-class family is looking at $80,000-$100,000 over four years before any borrowing. Combined with a 12.8-year payback period and 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio, this is the income tier where Goucher's value proposition gets thinnest. Strong merit aid or a high-earning major is essentially required.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 in income pay $32,220 net, or roughly $129,000 over four years -- only modestly discounted from the $53,350 sticker. For full-pay families this is a lifestyle choice rather than an ROI choice; the school's earnings outcomes do not justify the price on financial grounds alone, so the rationale needs to be fit, geography, or a specific program.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Goucher College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $44,901 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $65,402 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $52,752 | C+ |
| Economics | $51,727 | C+ |
| English Language and Literature | $46,333 | D |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $25,868 | 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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is Goucher's strongest ROI program by a wide margin. Graduates earn $46,511 at one year and $65,402 at four years, against a typical debt of $25,000 -- a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 and a C+ ROI grade. With 19 graduates per year it is also one of the larger programs on campus. Career paths span operations, marketing, and financial services in the Baltimore-DC corridor, and the four-year earnings figure is roughly 23% above the institutional median, making this the major that most clearly justifies Goucher's price tag.
Psychology
Psychology is Goucher's largest program with 49 graduates per year, but financially the weakest of the major tracks. Graduates earn $31,463 at one year and $44,901 at four years against $26,000 in debt -- a 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Most bachelor's-only psychology paths require a master's or PsyD to unlock higher earnings, so families should think of the bachelor's as step one of a longer (and more expensive) credentialing chain rather than a terminal degree.
Economics
Economics graduates earn $46,774 at one year and $51,727 at four years against $25,000 in debt, yielding a 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade. The four-year earnings figure is competitive for a small liberal arts econ program but trails the business track at Goucher itself. Graduates typically move into analyst roles in finance, consulting, and federal/state government, with the DC market a natural pull from Baltimore.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies grads at Goucher post a notably strong $52,752 four-year earnings figure -- a surprise outperformance for this CIP nationally -- against a $26,000 debt load and a 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio (C+). The cohort is small (11 graduates), so the figure should be read with some sample-size caution, but the path here looks materially better than the average comm degree at a comparable private liberal arts college.
English Language and Literature
English graduates earn $32,545 at one year and $46,333 at four years against $26,000 of debt, producing a 0.80 ratio and a D grade. With only five graduates a year the program is small enough to be vulnerable to year-to-year volatility, and earnings outcomes are typical of bachelor's English programs nationally. Realistic post-grad paths involve teaching credentials, communications roles, or law/grad school.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 79.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 84.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 80.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 86.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 77.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-645 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 560-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 27-30 |
| Enrollment | 964 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,359 |
Goucher admits 77.7% of applicants, placing it firmly in the broadly accessible private liberal arts category. Mid-50% SAT ranges of 530-645 math and 560-680 reading, plus an ACT mid-range of 27-30, suggest students at the higher end of the band are well-prepared while admitted students at the lower end may be more at risk of the 43% non-completion outcome. Selectivity here is not the bottleneck; price and major choice are.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Goucher's CampusROI peer set includes Capitol Technology University (MD), Washington Adventist University (MD), Cornell College (IA), Marian University (WI), and Spring Hill College (AL). Among these, Capitol Tech is the clear ROI outlier on the upside thanks to its STEM-heavy program mix and strong earnings, while the other three liberal arts peers (Cornell, Marian, Spring Hill) sit in roughly the same Poor-to-Below-Average value zone Goucher occupies. Washington Adventist is similar in price profile but draws a higher Pell-share student body. Goucher's strongest differentiator within this group is repayment behavior, not earnings.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goucher College (this school) | 43 | $22,470 | $53,023 |
| Capitol Technology University | 79 | $22,102 | $85,035 |
| Washington Adventist University | 55 | $18,526 | $64,249 |
| Marian University | 45 | $21,937 | $53,501 |
| Cornell College | 42 | $23,634 | $53,460 |
| Spring Hill College | 41 | $20,449 | $51,500 |
Who Thrives Here
With just 964 undergraduates and a 35.2% Pell rate, Goucher fits students who want a small, residential, mid-Atlantic liberal arts experience and qualify for meaningful need-based aid. Outcomes look strongest for graduates of the business administration program ($65,402 at four years) and economics ($51,727), and noticeably weaker for psychology, English, and international relations. Students who arrive without a clear high-earning major in mind should be aware that the average debt load follows them regardless of program.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Goucher College. With a net cost of $22,470 per year and median graduate earnings of only $53,023 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 12.8 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Key strengths include high loan repayment success. However, the data also shows weak earnings relative to cost and high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $26,000 against $53,023 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.