Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois · Private Nonprofit · 70.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 44/100 · Poor Value
Knox College earns a CampusROI score of 44 (Poor Value tier), which understates the school's academic prestige but accurately captures the financial math. Sticker tuition is a substantial $57,903 with a net price of $24,595 -- a 58% institutional discount typical of selective private liberal-arts colleges. Median earnings are $31,200 at six years and $54,820 at ten years, with a 12-year payback period. The strongest signals are completion (67.7%, subscore 74) and repayment (78.9% three-year, subscore 67). The weakest is debt-to-earnings: $27,000 in median debt against $31,200 in early earnings produces a 0.865 ratio (subscore 10). Knox enrolls 1,127 students with a 30.9% Pell rate. The score reflects a classic small liberal-arts pattern: strong completion and repayment, but slow early-career wage growth as graduates continue to graduate school or settle into the wage compression of humanities/social-sciences fields. Ten-year earnings of $54,820 do recover much of the gap, but the early-career math is rough.
The data raises concerns about Knox College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score44/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
Knox College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $57,903/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $57,903/yr |
| Average net price | $24,595/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $98,380 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,820 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 12 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 67.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,127 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Knox College is $57,903/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $24,595/year, or roughly $98,380 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $17,134/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $31,983/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $54,820 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.86 - 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 | $17,134 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,363 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,844 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,402 |
| $110,001+ | $31,983 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $17,134 per year, totaling about $68,536 over four years. With $31,200 in early-career earnings, the debt math is tight, but Knox's strong aid commitment makes the school accessible to Pell-eligible students. The 67.7% completion rate is solid, and ten-year earnings of $54,820 do justify the bet for students committed to graduate school continuation.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-75,000) pay $23,844 per year, about $95,376 over four years. With $54,820 in ten-year median earnings, the math works only if students continue to graduate school or land in higher-earning fields (international relations, education). For middle-income families, comparison-shopping against Illinois State or other state options is essential.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $31,983 per year -- $127,932 over four years. At this price, full-pay families should weigh Knox's small-college academic experience against more selective private liberal-arts options and major state flagships. The cultural value is real for the right student, but the financial ROI math is hard to defend on numbers alone.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Knox College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $53,231 | D |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $38,967 | F |
| Economics | $62,144 | F |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $28,757 | D |
| Teacher Education | $50,828 | C |
| Sociology and Anthropology | $45,120 | F |
| International Relations | $54,341 | C+ |
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.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is Knox's strongest immediate-wage program with year-one earnings of $41,934 and four-year earnings of $50,828. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.644 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. With 17 graduates per year, the program feeds into Illinois public-school districts. Illinois teacher starting salaries support the financing math, though the slow wage growth is typical of the profession.
Biology
Biology produces 22 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $31,203 and four-year earnings of $53,231. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.865 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. The 71% wage growth from year one to four signals most biology majors continue to medical school, PA programs, or research careers -- the early-career data captures this transition period.
Economics
Economics produces 19 graduates per year with surprisingly low year-one earnings of $23,222 -- but four-year earnings jumping to $62,144. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 1.077 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The wage trajectory shape suggests many econ majors at Knox continue to graduate school or take low-wage internship positions early; by year four, those who reach corporate or finance roles drive up the median.
International Relations
International Relations produces 12 graduates per year with four-year earnings of $54,341 and median debt of $25,553, yielding a 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade -- one of Knox's stronger program outcomes. Career paths feed into NGO work, foreign-service-related roles, and graduate study; the relatively low debt-to-earnings ratio makes the program defensible.
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Writing Studies produces 20 graduates per year, but the financial outcomes are alarming: year-one earnings of just $15,466 and four-year earnings of $38,967. Median debt of $26,976 produces a 1.744 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade -- debt nearly twice annual income. The major's graduates likely continue to graduate school or pursue editorial/creative work where wages remain compressed; prospective students should plan accordingly.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 74.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 84.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 70.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 580-760 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-32 |
| Enrollment | 1,127 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,221 |
Knox admits 70.8% of applicants. SAT 25-75 mid-ranges are 580-760 math and 600-680 reading, with ACT 25-75 of 21-32 -- a wide academic band that includes some quite strong applicants in the upper quartile. The 67.7% completion rate reflects a generally well-prepared student body. The wide ACT range (21-32) suggests significant variance in entering-class preparation, which likely contributes to the mixed financial outcomes by major.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Knox's peer set includes School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Augustana College, Morningside University, Meredith College, and Hartwick College. The SAIC pairing is an outlier (art school with different cost/wage dynamics). Augustana College (also Illinois liberal arts) is the closest comparable -- typically slightly higher ROI due to stronger business and engineering pipelines. Meredith and Hartwick sit in similar tiers. Morningside leans more career-focused. Knox's 44 score is mid-pack for this peer set; selective Midwest liberal-arts colleges face similar wage-compression challenges with humanities-heavy program mixes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox College (this school) | 44 | $24,595 | $54,820 |
| Augustana College | 67 | $22,736 | $62,971 |
| Hartwick College | 48 | $31,320 | $61,107 |
| Meredith College | 43 | $22,488 | $51,539 |
| Morningside University | 41 | $31,320 | $55,494 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 21 | $49,790 | $40,151 |
Who Thrives Here
Knox fits academically curious students drawn to a residential liberal-arts experience in Galesburg, Illinois at small-college scale (1,127 students). The 30.9% Pell rate signals a meaningful share of lower-income students benefiting from the strong institutional aid model. Strong-fit students are those committed to intellectual exploration who plan to attend graduate school, where ten-year earnings of $54,820 reflect both bachelor's-level and post-graduate trajectories. Students seeking immediate-wage outcomes after a bachelor's should weigh Knox's program mix carefully -- the strongest immediate-wage tracks (teacher education at $42K year one) are narrow.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Knox College. With a net cost of $24,595 per year and median graduate earnings of only $54,820 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 12 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $27,000 against $54,820 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.