The College of Wooster
Wooster, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 59.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 56/100 · Below Average Value
The College of Wooster earns a CampusROI score of 56 out of 100, landing in the Below Average Value tier. Wooster is a respected national liberal-arts college in northeast Ohio with a famously strong undergraduate-research culture (the Independent Study senior project is a flagship feature), and the financial picture reflects what happens when a high-quality liberal-arts experience meets the federal earnings methodology that systematically penalizes liberal-arts majors. Sticker tuition is $61,640, but the school discounts heavily: average net price after aid is $23,458, and four-year cost lands at $93,832. The 73.9% completion rate is genuinely strong (sub-score 84) and the 78.5% repayment rate is also above average. Median earnings six years out are $34,300 (suppressed by the high share of graduates in graduate school) but climb to $59,629 by year ten. The earnings premium of 26.2% over high-school-only peers is solid for a liberal-arts college. The drag is the 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio against $26,500 in debt, which earns a sub-score of 18 because the methodology compares debt to year-six earnings, not the year-ten figure where Wooster graduates have substantially closed the gap. Mathematics, Economics, and Psychology graduates post B-grade outcomes; humanities tracks (English, History, Philosophy) post weaker grades but reflect graduate-school progression.
The College of Wooster
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $61,640/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $61,640/yr |
| Average net price | $23,458/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $93,832 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,629 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $281 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 73.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,730 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at The College of Wooster is $61,640/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $23,458/year, or roughly $93,832 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $12,512/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,223/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $281 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $59,629 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.77 - 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 | $12,512 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,032 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,941 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,165 |
| $110,001+ | $32,223 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face an average net price of $12,512 per year at Wooster, totaling roughly $50,000 across four years. With ten-year median earnings of $59,629 and the strong four-year earnings recovery, the math works for low-income students who finish, particularly in math, economics, or sciences. Wooster's substantial institutional aid commitment to low-income students is real.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001 to $75,000 bracket pays $17,941 per year and the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket pays $26,165. Four-year totals are $71,800 to $104,700. Middle-income families are getting a meaningful discount off sticker. The case is strongest for STEM-bound students; humanities-bound students should weigh against in-state Ohio public alternatives like Ohio University or Miami University.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $32,223 per year, with four-year cost approaching $128,900. The aid curve flattens at the top. At this price tier, Wooster's value proposition is concentrated in the small-class research-immersion experience and graduate-school preparation; families paying full-pay should be confident the student will benefit from those specific attributes.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at The College of Wooster with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations | $64,760 | C |
| Biology | $32,462 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $60,884 | C |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $29,942 | D |
| History | $48,903 | D |
| Philosophy | $27,174 | D |
| Mathematics | $86,578 | B+ |
| English Language and Literature | $55,456 | D |
| Sociology | $56,115 | D |
| Economics | $79,310 | - |
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.
International Relations
International Relations is the largest program at Wooster with 43 graduates per cohort. Year-one earnings of $38,727 climb to $64,760 by year four. With $27,000 in median debt, the 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C ROI grade. The four-year recovery is meaningful and reflects graduates moving into government, NGO, and international-business roles where placement matures over time.
Biology
Biology graduates 31 students per cohort. Year-one earnings of $32,462 are reported with year-four data not reported. Median debt of $26,107 produces a 0.80 debt-to-earnings ratio against year-one earnings and a D ROI grade. Like at most liberal-arts colleges, Bio at Wooster is a graduate-school feeder; the on-paper undergraduate-only data understates the durable economic outcome of graduates who pursue medical, dental, or PhD pathways.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication graduates 27 students with year-one earnings of $39,527 climbing to $60,884 by year four. With $22,681 in debt, the 0.57 ratio earns a C ROI grade. This is among the stronger non-STEM outcomes at Wooster and reflects graduates moving into media, marketing, and corporate-communications roles.
History
History graduates 19 students per cohort with year-one earnings of just $28,013 rising to $48,903 by year four. Median debt of $26,720 produces a 0.95 ratio and a D ROI grade. The four-year trajectory shows real recovery, but borrowing at $26K levels for History without graduate-school plans creates early-career strain.
Mathematics
Mathematics graduates 17 students per cohort. Year-one earnings are not reported, but year-four earnings reach $86,578, the strongest four-year figure on the page. Median debt of $27,000 against four-year earnings produces a 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. This is the strongest outcome at Wooster and reflects graduates moving into actuarial, data-science, and graduate-study pathways. Math majors at Wooster get exceptional value.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 85.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 59.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 590-720 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 630-740 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 27-33 |
| Enrollment | 1,730 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,909 |
Wooster admits 59.5% of applicants, the most selective school in this batch. Reported SAT mid-ranges run 590 to 720 in math and 630 to 740 in reading; ACT composite is 27 to 33. The bands sit well above national averages and are consistent with a competitive national liberal-arts college. The strong test bands paired with the 73.9% completion rate confirm Wooster admits and retains academically prepared students at meaningful rates.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer schools include Allegheny Wesleyan College, Art Academy of Cincinnati, St. Francis College, Southern Nazarene University, and Concordia College at Moorhead. The peer matching is notably weak; Wooster's true peers are Oberlin, Denison, Kenyon, and similar national liberal-arts colleges, not these institutions. Concordia at Moorhead is the closest meaningful comparable, a residential liberal-arts college with similar earnings outcomes. The other peers are dramatically different in profile and the comparison set should be read with that caveat.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| The College of Wooster (this school) | 56 | $23,458 | $59,629 |
| Concordia College at Moorhead | 57 | $24,902 | $59,317 |
| St. Francis College | 57 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| Southern Nazarene University | 55 | $22,084 | $54,951 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Wooster serves about 1,730 students with a 20.9% Pell rate, the lowest in this batch and consistent with a national liberal-arts profile drawing from middle-and-upper-middle income families. The fit case is strong for academically curious students who want a small residential liberal-arts experience with serious research culture (every senior produces an Independent Study thesis) and who plan to pursue graduate study. The 73.9% completion rate and the strong four-year-earnings recovery for STEM and quantitative-social-science majors support the school's value proposition. Career-direct students should match major selection to the school's strengths.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The financial case for The College of Wooster is mixed. At $23,458 per year net cost, graduates earn a median of $59,629 ten years after entry - a payback period of 9.5 years. That's below the average return for four-year institutions, and prospective students should carefully consider whether the investment aligns with their financial goals.
Key strengths include a 73.9% graduation rate. However, the data also shows high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $26,500 against $59,629 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.