Lyon College
Batesville, Arkansas · Private Nonprofit · 62.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 29/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Lyon College earns an overall ROI score of 29 (Poor Value). The small Presbyterian-affiliated liberal arts college in Batesville, AR charges $31,000 in tuition but the average net price is $19,616 - a substantial 37% discount off sticker. Four-year cost runs $78,464. Median earnings hit just $31,400 six years out and $44,232 at 10 years, with $21,500 median debt and debt-to-earnings of 0.685. Payback runs 23.7 years. Repayment is 74.8% three-year, weakening to 67% by year seven. Completion is 46.8% - weaker than typical for a private liberal arts college and a meaningful drag on the institutional score. The school operates at small scale (648 enrolled) and serves a heavily Arkansas-resident student body. Lyon's value proposition rests on the residential liberal arts experience and a tight-knit campus community, but the financial outcomes do not justify the spend versus state alternatives (University of Arkansas, Arkansas State) for the typical student. Program-level data is not available in current Scorecard reporting.
The data raises concerns about Lyon College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score29/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period23.7 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Lyon College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $31,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $31,000/yr |
| Average net price | $19,616/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $78,464 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,232 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 23.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 648 |
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: $31,000/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,616/year, or roughly $78,464 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 $16,084/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,391/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $21,500 in federal loans, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $44,232 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.69, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $16,084 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,695 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,348 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,936 |
| $110,001+ | $23,391 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $16,084 net per year. Four-year cost is $64K. The aid structure is reasonably progressive and Pell-eligible students get meaningful institutional discount. Workable against typical Arkansas wage outcomes, but the 47% completion rate is the larger risk than the cost itself.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30-48K bracket pays $16,695 and 48-75K pays $17,348 - very flat across these tiers. The 75-110K bracket jumps to $20,936. Four-year cost runs $67K-$84K. The donut-hole effect is mild at Lyon's pricing. Defensible only for students committed to the liberal arts model and able to complete.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110K pay $23,391 - well below the $31,000 sticker but the smallest discount. Four-year cost is $94K. At this price, value depends entirely on whether Lyon's residential experience justifies the premium over University of Arkansas Fayetteville's flagship in-state option.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.8% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 67.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Lyon College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 62.8% |
| Enrollment | 648 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,336 |
Lyon admits 62.8% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, reflecting test-optional policy. The selectivity is moderate - not open-access but not highly selective. The 46.8% completion rate is on the lower end for private liberal arts colleges and suggests either a mismatch between admitted students and Lyon's academic demands, or significant transfer-out activity to larger Arkansas institutions.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peers on CampusROI include Arkansas Baptist College, Central Baptist College, Mount Mary University, Calumet College of Saint Joseph, and Drury University's College of Continuing Professional Studies. The two Arkansas Baptist peers are denominational privates with similar challenges. Mount Mary is a Wisconsin Catholic women's college. Calumet is an Indiana commuter-focused private. The peer set tells a consistent small-private-college story: scale challenges, completion struggles, and pricing that does not quite justify outcomes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon College (this school) | 29 | $19,616 | $44,232 |
| Central Baptist College | 40 | $12,287 | $46,789 |
| Mount Mary University | 32 | $20,144 | $48,745 |
| Calumet College of Saint Joseph | 29 | $22,451 | $46,945 |
| Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | 24 | $10,566 | $40,694 |
| Arkansas Baptist College | 4 | $10,627 | $28,418 |
Who Thrives Here
Lyon fits Arkansas students drawn to a residential liberal arts experience in a small (648-student) community with Presbyterian heritage. Pell rate is 40.6% - a relatively need-heavy student body. The fit case rests on the residential liberal arts experience and individualized faculty attention rather than on financial-ROI metrics. Students should pursue maximum institutional scholarship and consider whether the experience justifies the differential cost over University of Arkansas in-state options.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Lyon College are a real concern. With a net cost of $19,616 per year and the typical graduate earning only $44,232 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 23.7 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 46.8% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 against $44,232 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.