Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 31.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 92/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lafayette College earns an ROI score of 92 (Exceptional Value). The key drivers are a 4.9-year payback period, $58,400 average 6-year earnings, a 92.6% 3-year repayment rate, and an 87.6% completion rate. Median debt is $16,000 - low relative to a $65,398 sticker tuition. Net price of $34,433 reflects aid that meaningfully reduces costs, particularly for families below $110,000. Engineering programs dominate at the top of the outcomes distribution: Chemical Engineering (22 graduates) earns $79,602 year-one and $115,726 year-four (ROI grade A), Mechanical Engineering (54 graduates) earns $72,481 year-one and $101,348 year-four. Economics (100 graduates) earns $68,164 year-one and $112,864 year-four. Notably, even the humanities programs perform respectably - English Language and Literature (32 graduates) earns $53,050 at year four with a B+ grade, reflecting Lafayette's brand effect on professional school placement and employer perception. The 7-year repayment rate of 93.8% indicates graduates are successfully managing their debt loads.
The median graduate earns $91,410 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Lafayette College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $65,398/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $65,398/yr |
| Average net price | $34,433/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $137,732 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $91,410 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $58,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $170 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 87.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,757 |
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: $65,398/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $34,433/year, or roughly $137,732 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 $12,716/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $52,608/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,000, which works out to about $170 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($58,400) and comes to 0.27, 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 | $12,716 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,445 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,881 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,581 |
| $110,001+ | $52,608 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $12,716 per year - and the 30001-48000 bracket drops to $7,445, the lowest net price in Lafayette's income schedule. These are genuinely low net prices for a $65,398 sticker school. Low-income students who gain admission face a total 4-year cost under $55,000 in most brackets, against $58,400 average 6-year earnings and a 4.9-year payback. The financial case for low-income admitted students is strong.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $10,881 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $12,581 - both very low relative to sticker. Lafayette's aid model is particularly generous at income levels below $110,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $52,608 per year - about $210,000 over four years at full net price. Against a 4.9-year payback period and $91,410 median 10-year earnings, the full-pay case is defensible for students entering higher-earning tracks (engineering, finance, consulting). For students pursuing lower-paying fields, the long-run picture depends heavily on graduate school placement and career trajectory.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Lafayette College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $112,864 | B+ |
| International Relations | $87,904 | B+ |
| Mechanical Engineering | $101,348 | B+ |
| Biology | $82,109 | B |
| English Language and Literature | $53,050 | B+ |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $58,433 | B+ |
| Civil Engineering | $70,391 | A |
| Chemical Engineering | $115,726 | A |
| Sociology and Anthropology | $43,321 | B |
| Engineering, General | $104,222 | - |
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.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering is Lafayette's top-performing program: 22 graduates, $79,602 year-one, $115,726 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.214 (ROI grade A). Graduates borrow a median $17,000 and exceed $115k within four years. This program is small by volume but delivers outstanding outcomes for students who complete it. Chemical engineers from Lafayette typically enter process industries, pharmaceuticals, and materials companies in the Philadelphia-New York corridor.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (54 graduates) earns $72,481 year-one and $101,348 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.269 (ROI grade B+). This is Lafayette's highest-volume engineering program and consistently produces six-figure four-year outcomes. Median debt of $19,500 against $72k starting salary is well within manageable range. Graduates enter manufacturing, aerospace, and energy sectors throughout the Northeast.
Economics
Economics (100 graduates) earns $68,164 year-one and $112,864 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.286 (ROI grade B+). This is Lafayette's largest program and delivers four-year outcomes exceeding $112k - strong for a liberal arts economics program. The Lafayette brand and proximity to New York City financial services employers drives placement into finance, consulting, and policy roles that lift the four-year median significantly above the starting salary.
International Relations
International Relations (71 graduates) earns $48,112 year-one and $87,904 year-four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.284 (ROI grade B+). The jump from $48k to $88k in four years reflects strong placement into law school, consulting, and government roles. Median debt of $13,640 is the lowest reported in Lafayette's program mix. This program demonstrates the Lafayette brand effect on non-STEM outcomes.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering (24 graduates) earns $70,391 year-one, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.227 (ROI grade A). Four-year earnings data is not reported by the Scorecard. Median debt of $16,000 is low. Civil engineering graduates enter infrastructure consulting, municipal engineering, and construction management. The A grade reflects the strong year-one earnings against low debt, even without a four-year figure to complete the picture.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 89.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 92.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 91.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lafayette 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 | 31.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 680-760 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 670-740 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-33 |
| Enrollment | 2,757 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 11.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,663 |
At 31.5%, Lafayette is selective but not in the hyperselective tier. The SAT Math range of 680-760 and ACT 31-33 describe the middle half of admits. Lafayette actively balances its engineering and arts and sciences populations. Students with strong quantitative preparation targeting engineering or economics programs have a reasonable pathway to admission.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Lafayette's completion rate is 87.6% and repayment rate is 92.6%. The 92 overall score reflects a well-rounded profile with no severe weaknesses across any sub-score.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette College (this school) | 92 | $34,433 | $91,410 |
| Babson College | 96 | $40,514 | $123,938 |
| Trinity College | 87 | $34,832 | $90,779 |
| Trinity University | 85 | $23,464 | $71,668 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
Lafayette admits 31.5% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 680-760 Math and 670-740 Reading; ACT composite 31-33. At 2,757 students, Lafayette occupies a middle tier between small liberal arts colleges and larger universities - large enough to offer a full range of engineering and business programs, small enough for close faculty interaction. Pell grant rate of 11.7% is modest. Students who want engineering or economics with a residential liberal arts experience will find a well-matched environment.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Lafayette College is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $137,732 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $91,410 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.9 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 87.6% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $16,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $58,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Lafayette College: Common Questions
Is Lafayette College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Lafayette College pays off. It scores 92/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $34,433 a year after aid ($137,732 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $91,410 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.9 years to earn back.
How much does Lafayette 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 $34,433 a year, or roughly $137,732 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 Lafayette College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $91,410 ten years after enrolling, roughly $49,610 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 Lafayette 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 4.9 years for Lafayette College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Lafayette College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,000, against average earnings of $58,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Lafayette College?
The six-year graduation rate is 87.6%, 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.