Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia · Private Nonprofit · 68.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 21/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Hollins University scores 21 (Below Benchmark) - a result that is hard to soften. Average 6-year earnings are $27,600, producing a 44.1-year payback period on a $20,896 net price. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.978 means graduates carry nearly a full year's salary in debt. English Language and Literature - the largest traceable program - earns an F-grade ROI with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.043. The completion rate of 64.7% is a relative bright spot at this institution, but it doesn't overcome the earnings shortfall. Hollins is a small women's liberal arts college in Roanoke, VA with 665 enrolled students.
How Hollins University 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 Score21/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period44.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Hollins University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $43,560/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $43,560/yr |
| Average net price | $20,896/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $83,584 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,075 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 44.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 665 |
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: $43,560/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,896/year, or roughly $83,584 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 $17,511/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,826/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($27,600) and comes to 0.98, 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 | $17,511 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,304 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,395 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,721 |
| $110,001+ | $26,826 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The $0-30,000 income bracket pays $17,511 per year at Hollins. At four-year cost around $70,000 against $27,600 average 6-year earnings, the payback math is very difficult. Low-income students at Hollins face the most acute financial exposure: the Pell grant partially offsets cost, but the earnings outcome does not match the investment for most career paths at this school.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($30,001-75,000) pay $19,304-$20,395 per year. The income-to-price relationship is relatively flat across income bands, meaning there is limited additional aid as families earn more in this range. At roughly $80,000 for four years, the investment requires students entering above-median earnings fields or graduate school to recoup.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $26,826 per year - about $107,000 over four years. At $27,600 average 6-year earnings, high-income families should be clear that they are paying for a specific type of small women's college experience and a creative arts network, not earnings optimization.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Hollins University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $45,633 | C |
| English Language and Literature | $38,172 | F |
| Biology | $27,721 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $27,014 | - |
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.
Psychology
Psychology (20 graduates) earns $45,633 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.592 (ROI grade C). No year-one data is available. The C grade reflects median debt of $27,000 against earnings that are average for psychology graduates broadly but well below what health sciences or business graduates earn. Students in psychology should plan for graduate education if they are targeting licensed clinical or counseling roles.
Biology
Biology (15 graduates) earns $27,721 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.974 (ROI grade D). The D grade and low year-one figure reflect a mix of graduate school enrollment and low-wage entry roles. Median debt of $27,000 against $27,721 year-one earnings is a near-dollar-for-dollar debt-to-annual-salary ratio - a serious early-career burden for any student not in graduate school.
English Language and Literature
English Language and Literature (20 graduates) earns $25,876 year one and $38,172 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.043 (ROI grade F). This is the program most associated with Hollins's brand identity as a writing school, and the Scorecard data is plainly negative. A debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.0 means graduates carry more debt than a full year's salary. Students pursuing creative writing or literary careers at Hollins need external funding - scholarships, family support, or fellowship income - to make the financial arc workable.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts (11 graduates) earns $27,014 at year four with no year-one or debt data available. No ROI grade can be calculated from available data, but the earnings figure alone indicates graduates face a significant near-term financial challenge.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 58.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 60.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Hollins University’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 | 68.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540-640 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 610-700 |
| Enrollment | 665 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,276 |
Hollins accepts 67.9% of applicants. SAT Math 540-640 and SAT Reading 610-700 reflect the middle 50%; no ACT data is reported. Admission is accessible rather than selective. The Pell grant rate of 39.4% indicates Hollins serves a meaningful share of lower-income students, who face the steepest financial risk given the earnings profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollins University (this school) | 21 | $20,896 | $40,075 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Wesleyan College | 24 | $12,724 | $44,317 |
| Midway University | 24 | $29,579 | $44,246 |
| Converse University | 21 | $23,283 | $40,867 |
| Stephens College | 20 | $23,459 | $43,071 |
Who Thrives Here
Hollins fits students who specifically seek a residential women's liberal arts college environment focused on writing, creative arts, and humanities - and who have a clear-eyed understanding of the financial trade-off. The 67.9% acceptance rate is accessible. Students who plan to pursue graduate school in creative writing, law, or education immediately after graduation may have better long-term outcomes than the Scorecard 6-year earnings suggest. Students expecting to service debt from undergraduate earnings alone should look carefully at the numbers: $27,600 average earnings and $27,000 median debt are a difficult combination.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Hollins University scores 21/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,896 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,075 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 44.1 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 0.98 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $27,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.98. 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.
Hollins University: Common Questions
Is Hollins University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Hollins University scores 21/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,896 a year after aid against $40,075 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 44.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Hollins University 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 $20,896 a year, or roughly $83,584 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 Hollins University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,075 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 Hollins University?
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 44.1 years for Hollins University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Hollins University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $27,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.98. 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 Hollins University?
The six-year graduation rate is 64.6%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.