Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 31.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 73/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Kenyon College earns a 73/100 ROI score in our Fair Value tier. Kenyon's $71,520 sticker tuition is steep; the value proposition is built on aid, retention, and long-tail earnings. Completion rate is 82.3%, and the three-year repayment rate is 88.5%. Earnings of $39,100 six years out are modest but climb sharply to $71,830 by year ten, reflecting the typical liberal-arts trajectory: graduate school, professional credentialing, and post-college maturation. Median debt of just $18,527 against eventual $71,830 earnings produces a 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio, and the 8.0-year payback period is solid. Four-year total cost of $154,048 looks daunting on paper but Kenyon's aid distribution makes it accessible to many income brackets. With 1,732 students and a 9.5% Pell rate, Kenyon is small, residential, and selective in rural Ohio.
Kenyon College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $71,520/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $71,520/yr |
| Average net price | $38,512/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $154,048 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $71,830 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,527 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $196 |
| Estimated payback period | 8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 82.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,732 |
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: $71,520/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $38,512/year, or roughly $154,048 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 $18,242/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $51,432/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,527, which works out to about $196 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,100) and comes to 0.47, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $18,242 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,319 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,156 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,757 |
| $110,001+ | $51,432 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $18,242 net - a strong number reflecting Kenyon's robust need-based aid. Across four years that's $72,968 against eventual $71,830 10-year earnings - a defensible bet, especially with Kenyon's 82% completion rate ensuring students finish. Pell-eligible students who get admitted should treat Kenyon as one of their best aid-leveraged options.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The brackets here are inverted: $30,001 - $48,000 pays $26,319 but $48,001 - $75,000 pays $19,156 - that's $7,000 LESS for higher income. This reflects the underlying College Scorecard sample variance for a small school (1,732 students). Run Kenyon's net price calculator directly. The $75,001 - $110,000 bracket pays $23,757, which is more in line with expectations.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $51,432 - over $205,000 across four years, well above the $154,048 published total cost figure, suggesting many full-pay families pay close to or above sticker. With $71,830 10-year earnings, the ROI math is acceptable but not exceptional for full-pay families; the value is the network and the experience.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Kenyon College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature | $52,945 | C |
| Economics | $103,791 | B+ |
| Psychology | $39,203 | C+ |
| International Relations | $39,550 | C+ |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $53,620 | C |
| International/Globalization Studies | $72,305 | - |
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.
Economics
Economics is Kenyon's flagship value play: 61 graduates with first-year earnings of $58,082 climbing to $103,791 by year four - outstanding for an LAC and the strongest ROI grade (B+) in our program data. Median debt of $18,718 yields a 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio, well within the comfort zone.
English Language and Literature
Kenyon's storied English program graduates 86 students annually - its largest cohort. First-year earnings of $29,962 climb to $52,945 by year four, with $19,000 median debt yielding a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). The trajectory understates outcomes for students who continue to law school, MFA programs, or publishing; Kenyon's literary reputation (home of the Kenyon Review) opens doors that the four-year earnings figure doesn't capture.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 47 students with first-year earnings of $39,203 - strong for a bachelor's-only psych path - against $19,000 median debt for a 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio (C+ grade). Four-year earnings data is suppressed but graduates likely pursue clinical, counseling, or research-track grad work. Kenyon's small-class research-mentorship model suits students aiming at PhD or Psy.D programs.
International Relations
International Relations graduates 41 with first-year earnings of $39,550 against $18,354 median debt - a 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio (C+ grade). Graduates feed into NGO, foreign service, and consulting tracks, often pursuing MA work in policy or area studies within 2-4 years. Kenyon's international studies program leverages strong language offerings and a residential intellectual community.
Fine and Studio Arts
Median debt of $15,500 (Kenyon's lowest reported program debt) yields a 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). Graduates leverage Kenyon's strong arts community and small class sizes; outcomes are above the bachelor-only fine-arts norm but still below market-oriented majors.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 88.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 89.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 90.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 90.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Kenyon 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 | 31.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 678-760 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 680-743 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-33 |
| Enrollment | 1,732 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 9.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,767 |
Kenyon admits 31.0% of applicants - selective by any measure. SAT mid-ranges are 678-760 (math) and 680-743 (reading) plus an ACT range of 31-33. The 82.3% completion rate confirms that selectivity translates directly to retention: well-prepared students who get in tend to finish. Kenyon's selectivity also functions as a screen for students who can productively use the small-college, high-engagement model.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenyon College (this school) | 73 | $38,512 | $71,830 |
| Bryn Mawr College | 74 | $31,759 | $75,217 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | 73 | $28,199 | $70,871 |
| Whitman College | 72 | $33,313 | $67,589 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Kenyon fits academically strong students drawn to writing, the humanities, economics, and small-college residential life in rural Ohio. With 1,732 students and a 9.5% Pell rate, the campus skews high-income, with strong family resources and an established post-college networking pipeline. Outcomes are particularly strong for Economics graduates ($103,791 four-year earnings, B+ grade) and International Studies. The 88.5% repayment rate and 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio confirm graduates exit financially solid. Kenyon's value is in the writing-and-research training and the post-graduate networks.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Kenyon College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $38,512 a year after aid ($154,048 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $71,830 a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 82.3% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $18,527 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Kenyon College: Common Questions
Is Kenyon College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Kenyon College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 73/100 on our ROI scale. At $38,512 a year after aid ($154,048 over four years) against $71,830 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Kenyon 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 $38,512 a year, or roughly $154,048 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 Kenyon College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $71,830 ten years after enrolling, roughly $30,030 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 Kenyon 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 8 years for Kenyon College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Kenyon College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,527, against average earnings of $39,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Kenyon College?
The six-year graduation rate is 82.3%, 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.