Roanoke College
Salem, Virginia · Private Nonprofit · 83.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 53/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Roanoke College scores 53 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale. The school charges $38,068 tuition with a $24,503 average net price, and produces $37,800 average 6-year earnings and a 10.3-year payback period. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.714 and median debt of $27,000 mean graduates are carrying a meaningful debt load relative to their earnings. The 67.4% completion rate is adequate. Program data is sparse - 12 programs tracked, several with small cohorts and missing year-one data - which reflects the small enrollment of 1,767. Business Administration (72 graduates) is the strongest by volume and has workable outcomes; History earns an F grade (16 graduates, $25,940 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.041). Roanoke's ROI case is difficult at the current net price without a program-specific strong outcome.
Roanoke College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $38,068/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $38,068/yr |
| Average net price | $24,503/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $98,012 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $58,047 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 67.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,767 |
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: $38,068/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,503/year, or roughly $98,012 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 $15,204/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,087/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,800) and comes to 0.71, 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 | $15,204 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,410 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,638 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,902 |
| $110,001+ | $30,087 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $15,204 net price per year at Roanoke - a favorable figure for the low-income bracket. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays less ($15,902) than the $0-$30,000 bracket in a counterintuitive pattern in the aid formula. For low-income students with clear career goals in business or health-related fields, the $15k annual cost makes the financial case more defensible. The 67.4% completion rate remains a risk for all income groups.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $18,638 per year. Four-year total cost at this rate is about $74,552. Against $37,800 average 6-year earnings and $27,000 median debt, the 10.3-year payback period reflects the full population including lower-earning programs. Business graduates with a concrete career plan will see shorter payback. Students in humanities or kinesiology will face longer timelines.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $30,087 per year, totaling about $120,348 over four years. The brand premium that Roanoke commands in the Roanoke Valley does not translate nationally.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Roanoke College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,323 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $65,112 | D |
| Biology | $55,246 | D |
| Psychology | $49,018 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,040 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $76,198 | D |
| History | $41,210 | F |
| Sociology | $59,580 | C |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $54,957 | C |
| International Relations | $71,604 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Roanoke's anchor program: 72 graduates, $45,557 year-one, $69,323 year-four, ROI grade C, debt-to-earnings 0.580. Median debt of $26,429 against $45k starting salary is stretched. The four-year figure of $69k reflects career progression within the Roanoke Valley and southwest Virginia labor market. This program is the strongest value at Roanoke, though it compares unfavorably on earnings to business programs at Virginia public universities.
International Relations
International Relations has 12 graduates with only year-four earnings available at $71,604. The small cohort makes this figure unreliable as a planning baseline. No year-one data or debt information is available. Students interested in international relations at Roanoke should understand that the program is small and that the four-year earnings figure captures a limited number of graduates.
Biology
Biology has 39 graduates earning $37,458 year-one and $55,246 year-four, ROI grade D, debt-to-earnings 0.721. Median debt of $27,000 against $37k year-one earnings is financially stressful. The moderate four-year figure of $55k suggests that most biology graduates are entering direct employment in healthcare support, laboratory, or environmental roles rather than proceeding to medical or graduate school - or, if they are in post-baccalaureate programs, the Scorecard is capturing the low-earning early years.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology and Exercise Science has 49 graduates earning $27,304 year-one and $65,112 year-four, ROI grade D, debt-to-earnings 0.989. The extreme gap between year-one ($27k) and year-four ($65k) strongly suggests a graduate school pipeline - physical therapy, occupational therapy, or exercise physiology graduate programs - where students earn little in years one through two before entering better-compensated clinical roles. Median debt of $27,000 against $27k year-one salary is a financially difficult starting point.
History
History is Roanoke's weakest tracked program: 16 graduates, $25,940 year-one, $41,210 year-four, ROI grade F, debt-to-earnings 1.041. Graduates owe slightly more than a full year's salary at year one. At a private liberal arts college charging $24,503 average net price, the history program's F-grade ROI reflects a field with limited direct employment demand at the bachelor's level. Students deeply committed to history should plan for law school, graduate programs, or applied career pivots early in their Roanoke enrollment.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 85.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Roanoke 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 | 83.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-640 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 560-660 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-31 |
| Enrollment | 1,767 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,553 |
An 83.1% acceptance rate with a moderate academic profile makes Roanoke accessible. The ACT 24-31 range indicates some academic spread in the admitted pool. Roanoke is not competing on selectivity but on campus fit and regional Lutheran identity. Families should use the net price calculator carefully - at 83% acceptance, the financial package is the primary decision variable.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Roanoke's location in a small Virginia metro market is both a strength (regional employer relationships) and a constraint (limited labor market depth).
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke College (this school) | 53 | $24,503 | $58,047 |
| St. Francis College | 57 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| The Master's University and Seminary | 54 | $32,647 | $57,106 |
| Saint Norbert College | 53 | $26,172 | $58,363 |
| Averett University | 37 | $22,925 | $51,516 |
| Bluefield University | 32 | $25,573 | $48,896 |
Who Thrives Here
Roanoke admits 83.1% of applicants with SAT ranges of 530-640 Math and 560-660 Reading and ACT 24-31 composite. At 1,767 undergraduates in Salem, Virginia, it is a small Lutheran-affiliated liberal arts college with a regional reputation in southwest Virginia. Students who want small class sizes, a residential campus environment, and proximity to the Roanoke Valley's outdoor recreation and healthcare sectors will find Roanoke's environment appealing.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Roanoke College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $24,503 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $58,047 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 10.3 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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.
Roanoke College: Common Questions
Is Roanoke College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Roanoke College scores 53/100 on our ROI scale. At $24,503 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $58,047 ten years after entry, so it takes about 10.3 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Roanoke 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 $24,503 a year, or roughly $98,012 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 Roanoke College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $58,047 ten years after enrolling, roughly $16,247 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 Roanoke 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 10.3 years for Roanoke College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Roanoke College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $37,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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 Roanoke College?
The six-year graduation rate is 67.4%, 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.