Landmark College
Putney, Vermont · Private Nonprofit · 49.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 13/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Landmark College scores 13 (Below Benchmark). Landmark College in Putney, Vermont occupies a unique niche in American higher education: it is designed specifically for students with learning differences, including dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other learning disabilities. That specialized mission is central to interpreting the institution's ROI data, which on standard metrics looks poor. The four-year estimated cost is $227,816. The completion rate of 43% is low, though for a population that has historically faced higher attrition in traditional higher education, it must be contextualized. Median debt of $17,500 is modest relative to the sticker price, suggesting significant institutional or family support. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.778 means graduates carry debt near 78% of annual income, which is stressful. For families weighing Landmark, the decision framework differs fundamentally from a typical ROI comparison: the question is whether the specialized support Landmark provides enables a student to complete a degree at all - an outcome that carries lifetime earnings value not captured at six years. The Scorecard numbers honestly reflect financial pressure, but do not capture the value of an accessible pathway for students who might otherwise not complete college.
How Landmark College 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 Score13/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Landmark College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $66,540/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $66,540/yr |
| Average net price | $56,954/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $227,816 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $29,813 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $22,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $17,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $186 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 455 |
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: $66,540/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $56,954/year, or roughly $227,816 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 $44,712/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $63,102/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $17,500, which works out to about $186 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($22,500) and comes to 0.78, 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 | $44,712 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $44,994 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $54,846 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $55,403 |
| $110,001+ | $63,102 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from families earning under $30,000 face a net price of approximately $44,712 per year. The gap between cost and earnings is severe, with six-year earnings of $22,500 far below cost. Pell Grant recipients represent only 16% of students, suggesting limited access for the lowest-income families despite the institutional mission.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families see net prices ranging from $44,994 to $55,403 annually. Against post-graduation earnings of $22,500 at six years, the standard financial case is extremely difficult to make. Borrowing should be minimized aggressively given the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.778.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
For higher-income families, Landmark's $63,102 annual net price is steep but potentially manageable without significant borrowing. The $29,813 median earnings at ten years remain well below the cost threshold, indicating that the investment case rests on non-financial value: degree attainment, confidence, and the foundational skills to pursue graduate education or careers that pay more in later years.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 62.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Landmark 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 | 49.4% |
| Enrollment | 455 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 16.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,373 |
Landmark admits approximately 49% of applicants and does not publish standardized test score ranges, consistent with its mission of serving students whose academic potential is not captured by traditional metrics. The application process typically emphasizes documentation of the learning difference, a personal statement, and letters of support. Students who thrive here have already demonstrated persistence despite academic challenges.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landmark College (this school) | 13 | $56,954 | $29,813 |
| Champlain College | 49 | $35,860 | $58,386 |
| Bennington College | 26 | $30,947 | $38,289 |
| Mission University | 15 | $21,383 | $38,641 |
| Southwestern Christian University | 14 | $20,146 | $40,391 |
| Voorhees University | 8 | $13,335 | $35,339 |
Who Thrives Here
Landmark College is the right fit for students with documented learning differences - particularly dyslexia, ADHD, and autism - who need intensive academic support unavailable at mainstream institutions. The 455-student campus creates an intimate environment with specialized faculty and advising. Families should understand the premium price reflects a specialized service model, not a traditional liberal arts education. Landmark is not appropriate for students seeking standard college ROI benchmarks; it is appropriate for students who need its specific support infrastructure to access higher education.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Landmark College scores 13/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $56,954 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $29,813 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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, its 43.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 62.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $17,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $22,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. 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.
Landmark College: Common Questions
Is Landmark College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Landmark College scores 13/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $56,954 a year after aid against $29,813 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Landmark 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 $56,954 a year, or roughly $227,816 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 Landmark College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $29,813 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 Landmark 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 more than 50 years for Landmark College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Landmark College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $17,500, against average earnings of $22,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. 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 Landmark College?
The six-year graduation rate is 43.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.