Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Norton, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 67.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) lands at an ROI score of 64 in the Fair Value tier, a solid-but-not-spectacular result for a private liberal arts college with a $63,960 sticker price. The headline strength is a 72.8% completion rate, which is well above sector average for small private colleges and the single biggest reason the score isn't lower. Graduates earn $38,300 six years out and $67,725 by year ten, and the 7.9-year payback period is shorter than most peers in this price range. The weakest sub-score is debt-to-earnings: median debt of $26,000 represents 67.9% of early-career earnings, which is heavy enough to constrain monthly budgets for graduates who haven't yet hit their stride. The good news is that aid is real -- net price drops to $29,822 from a $63,960 published rate, and the 83.4% three-year repayment rate suggests most alumni manage their loans without distress. Wheaton works when students finish on time and pursue majors with earnings traction; it works less well when students drift into the lowest-earning humanities tracks and graduate with full debt.
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $63,960/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $63,960/yr |
| Average net price | $29,822/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $119,288 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $67,725 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 72.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,773 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Wheaton College (Massachusetts) is $63,960/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $29,822/year, or roughly $119,288 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $20,076/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,956/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $276 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $67,725 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.68 - 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 | $20,076 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,528 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,299 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $28,639 |
| $110,001+ | $33,956 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $20,076 net, the lowest bracket on the schedule. Over four years that's about $80,300 -- still substantial for low-income households, but a meaningful discount off the $63,960 sticker. Federal Pell plus Wheaton's institutional aid does real work here. The risk is that median graduate earnings of $38,300 at year six make even discounted debt hard to service for first-generation students without family financial backstop.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families in the $48,001-$75,000 and $75,001-$110,000 brackets pay $28,299 and $28,639 respectively -- effectively the same number, and close to the school-wide average of $29,822. Four-year cost lands around $113,000-$114,500. With a 7.9-year payback period and median debt of $26,000, the math works for graduates who finish and land in business or quantitative fields. It strains for those who finish in lower-earning humanities tracks.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $33,956 net, the top bracket. Over four years that's roughly $135,800 -- only a modest discount off list price. Higher-income families need to evaluate whether Wheaton's brand and outcomes justify the spread versus flagship public alternatives like UMass Amherst, where total cost runs significantly lower. Wheaton's case rests on the small-college experience and 72.8% completion rate, not on earnings premium.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Wheaton College (Massachusetts) with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $78,769 | C |
| Psychology | $54,483 | D |
| Biology | $43,012 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $59,381 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,389 | - |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $61,194 | C |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $54,106 | D |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $64,701 | B |
| History | $48,095 | D |
| International Relations | $53,285 | D |
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 is Wheaton's largest program by graduate count at 74, with first-year earnings of $46,139 and four-year earnings of $78,769. Median debt of $27,000 yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.585 and a C-grade ROI. The four-year earnings figure of nearly $79,000 is genuinely strong for a small liberal arts business program and suggests graduates are placing into corporate roles across Boston, Providence, and the broader Northeast finance and consulting markets. This is the program that carries Wheaton's earnings story.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 49 students annually, the second-largest program. First-year earnings of $34,746 against $27,000 in debt produces a 0.777 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Earnings recover to $54,483 by year four, but the early-career squeeze is real. Psychology at Wheaton works for students bound for graduate school in clinical, counseling, or research tracks; it works less well for those stopping at the bachelor's, where the math becomes the same uphill climb visible at most liberal arts colleges.
Biology
Biology produces 33 graduates with first-year earnings of $26,661 and a 0.9 debt-to-earnings ratio -- a D grade. The four-year figure of $43,012 doesn't catch up enough to offset the $24,000 debt load. As with psychology, biology pays off only on the pre-health track, where the bachelor's is a stepping stone to medical or graduate study. Without that pipeline, biology grads here struggle to clear $50,000 even at year four.
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Neuroscience is a smaller program at 17 graduates, but the outcomes are noticeably stronger than biology. First-year earnings of $39,842 climb to $61,194 by year four, producing a 0.678 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. The program likely benefits from a research-and-grad-school pipeline that channels students into biotech and pharma roles around the Boston cluster. For science-minded students, neuroscience is the better earnings bet at Wheaton than general biology.
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
Despite the major's reputation as low-earning, Wheaton's 12 graduates post a B grade with $64,701 in four-year earnings and a 0.386 debt-to-earnings ratio on $25,000 in debt. The result is almost certainly small-sample bias -- a dozen graduates can be moved sharply by a handful of high earners. Treat the number as suggestive rather than definitive, but it does indicate that some grads route into well-paying nonprofit, policy, or law-school-bound careers.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 83.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 88.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 90.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 67.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 580-670 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 640-720 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 29-33 |
| Enrollment | 1,773 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 22.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,150 |
Wheaton admits 67.7% of applicants, putting it in the moderately selective range. Mid-50% SATs land at 580-670 math and 640-720 reading, with ACT composite of 29-33 -- numbers that imply a college-prep applicant pool that arrives reasonably well prepared. That preparation shows up downstream in the 72.8% completion rate, which is the kind of finishing rate you'd expect when admits are roughly aligned with the institution's academic demands.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Against its named peers, Wheaton's 64 ROI score sits in the upper middle of the cluster. Amherst College is the outlier on the high end as an elite institution with stronger earnings and need-blind aid. Drew University and Augustana University tend to score in a similar Fair-to-Below-Average range, with Drew weighed down by debt loads and Augustana benefiting from lower Midwestern costs. North Park University and American International College generally score lower due to weaker completion and earnings outcomes. Wheaton's edge in this peer set is its completion rate, not its earnings.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) (this school) | 64 | $29,822 | $67,725 |
| Westmont College | 65 | $29,053 | $64,778 |
| Calvin University | 65 | $22,992 | $58,375 |
| John Brown University | 64 | $20,397 | $53,907 |
| Samford University | 62 | $32,622 | $58,469 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | 62 | $22,866 | $59,986 |
Who Thrives Here
Wheaton fits a fairly traditional residential liberal arts profile: 1,773 students, 22.2% Pell recipients, and a Northeast location that draws heavily from New England feeder high schools. That Pell rate is modest, meaning the campus skews toward middle- and upper-middle-income families. Students who arrive academically prepared, choose a major with earnings traction (business, neuroscience, ethnic studies all show B/C-grade outcomes), and graduate in four years will see the ROI math work. Students who under-match on major selection face the debt-to-earnings squeeze visible in the school-wide 67.9% ratio.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $29,822 per year leads to $119,288 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $67,725 a decade out. The payback period of 7.9 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
Key strengths include a 72.8% graduation rate, high loan repayment success. However, the data also shows high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $26,000 against $67,725 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.