Wheaton College
Wheaton, Illinois · Private Nonprofit · 87.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 70/100 · Fair Value
Wheaton College (Illinois) scores 70 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. It charges $45,546 in tuition with a $26,975 average net price, and produces $39,600 median 6-year earnings and an 8.6-year payback period. Two metrics stand out as genuine strengths: an 84.75% completion rate and a 91.7% 3-year loan repayment rate -- both well above average for this price tier. Students who start at Wheaton mostly finish, and graduates manage their debt. The median debt of $23,250 is moderate. Wheaton is a selective evangelical Christian liberal arts college; its program mix skews toward humanities, social science, and ministry rather than STEM or professional fields, which explains the modest aggregate earnings. Computer Science (17 graduates, $81,470 year-one) and Economics (31 graduates, $62,889 year-one, ROI grade B+) are the clear outliers. Bible/Biblical Studies (33 graduates, $29,986 year-one, ROI grade D) is the clearest low-return track.
Wheaton College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $45,546/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $45,546/yr |
| Average net price | $26,975/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $107,900 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,756 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 84.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,121 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Wheaton College is $45,546/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $26,975/year, or roughly $107,900 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $20,001/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,435/year.
The median graduate leaves with $23,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $246 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $63,756 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.59 - 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 | $20,001 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,587 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,553 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,176 |
| $110,001+ | $33,435 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $20,001 net price per year at Wheaton. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $18,587 -- lower than the lowest bracket, reflecting an inversion in the aid formula. Wheaton's low-income net prices are high relative to public alternatives in the Chicago area (UIC, DePaul, Loyola) that charge less for comparable access. The 21.7% Pell grant rate suggests Wheaton enrolls a modest share of low-income students. For low-income students deeply aligned with Wheaton's mission, the aid package at $18-20k per year is meaningful but requires careful career planning to manage the 8.6-year institutional payback.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $20,553 per year; those earning $75,001-$110,000 pay $24,176. These are competitive prices for a private liberal arts college with Wheaton's completion rate and loan repayment profile. A student paying $20-24k per year who completes a business, economics, or CS track will have a reasonable return. The 8.6-year payback period is an institutional median pulled down by ministry and humanities tracks; STEM and business paybacks will be shorter.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $33,435 per year, totaling about $133,740 over four years. At this price, Wheaton competes with Grinnell, Carleton, and Macalester as a mission-differentiated liberal arts college. For families outside the evangelical Christian community, the faith covenant is a decisive filter. For those inside it, Wheaton's combination of academic rigor, strong completion, and Chicago proximity is a reasonable proposition at this price for students in business, CS, or economics tracks.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Wheaton College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Information Systems | $80,258 | B |
| Psychology | $49,974 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $52,647 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $60,695 | C |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $29,986 | D |
| Economics | $84,829 | B+ |
| Music | $40,329 | D |
| Teacher Education | $48,374 | C+ |
| International Relations | $45,069 | C+ |
| Romance Languages | $42,635 | 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.
Computer Science
Computer Science is Wheaton's highest year-one earner: 17 graduates, $81,470 year-one (year-four data not available, no ROI grade). The small cohort size (17) makes this figure volatile year to year, but $81k year-one is consistent with Chicago-area technology market rates for new CS graduates. Wheaton's CS graduates enter a competitive labor market where the college's academic rigor is a credential but the brand recognition is limited outside religious and Midwest markets.
Economics
Economics is Wheaton's strongest full-data ROI program: 31 graduates, $62,889 year-one, $84,829 year-four, ROI grade B+, debt-to-earnings 0.334. Median debt of $21,000 is the lowest in Wheaton's program data, and the year-one earnings of $63k reflect placement into Chicago financial services, consulting, and business roles. The four-year trajectory to $85k shows solid career progression. Wheaton economics graduates who leverage Chicago proximity find meaningfully better outcomes than the institutional median.
Business Information Systems
Business Information Systems is the highest-volume STEM-adjacent program at 74 graduates: $55,300 year-one, $80,258 year-four, ROI grade B, debt-to-earnings 0.434. The year-one figure is reasonable for a combined business-tech track at a private liberal arts college. The four-year figure of $80k suggests solid advancement. Median debt of $24,000 is manageable. This program is Wheaton's strongest employment pipeline for students who want applied business-technology skills.
Psychology
Psychology has 56 graduates earning $31,658 year-one and $49,974 year-four, ROI grade D, debt-to-earnings 0.715. The year-one figure is low for a private institution, and the four-year figure of $50k is constrained by a significant share of graduates heading to graduate programs in counseling, social work, or clinical psychology. At $26,975 net price, the $31k year-one earnings create financial stress unless graduate school is the plan. Students should have a clear post-baccalaureate path.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Bible/Biblical Studies has 33 graduates earning $29,986 year-one (year-four data not available), ROI grade D, debt-to-earnings 0.772. Median debt of $23,147 against $30k year-one earnings is a stretched ratio. Bible graduates at Wheaton enter ministry, nonprofit, church work, and missionary careers where near-term compensation is structurally low regardless of institution. The Scorecard measures economic return, not vocational or personal return; families who have a clear faith-ministry career path should weigh Wheaton's program quality against the financial reality of these career tracks.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 89.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 93.0% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 96.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 87.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 610-730 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 650-740 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 28-32 |
| Enrollment | 2,121 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,473 |
An 87.4% acceptance rate with a strong academic profile -- ACT 28-32 -- is unusual: Wheaton is more academically selective than its acceptance rate suggests. The evangelical Christian covenant requirement functions as a self-selection filter; students who are not aligned with Wheaton's stated faith community self-select out of the applicant pool. This creates a relatively aligned, high-functioning student body despite the high acceptance rate, which explains the strong completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Wheaton's listed peers include School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Augustana College, Bellarmine University, Bethel University (MN), and Valparaiso University. Wheaton (ROI 70) is the strongest in this group. Augustana College in Illinois is a genuine comparable -- similar size, private religious, similar midwest market -- but Wheaton's ACT profile and completion rate are stronger. Bethel University (MN) is another evangelical Christian comparable with a similar mission. Wheaton's 84.75% completion rate and 91.7% repayment rate are the clearest differentiators from its peer group, suggesting that students who attend Wheaton are finishing and managing debt better than the average for this price tier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton College (this school) | 70 | $26,975 | $63,756 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Bethel University | 71 | $28,556 | $63,764 |
| Westmont College | 65 | $29,053 | $64,778 |
| Calvin University | 65 | $22,992 | $58,375 |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | 64 | $29,822 | $67,725 |
Who Thrives Here
Wheaton admits 87.4% of applicants with SAT ranges of 610-730 Math and 650-740 Reading and ACT 28-32 composite. At 2,121 undergraduates in Wheaton, Illinois, it is a nationally recognized evangelical Christian college with strong academic standards and a distinctive faith-integration mission. Students who align with the Wheaton community covenant and want a rigorous liberal arts education within an evangelical framework will find strong peers, high completion rates, and good graduate school placement. Students who want to maximize near-term earnings should understand that Wheaton's program mix and graduate destinations -- ministry, graduate school, nonprofit, teaching -- produce below-median 6-year earnings that do not fully capture long-run career outcomes.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Wheaton College offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $26,975 per year leads to $107,900 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $63,756 a decade out. The payback period of 8.6 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
The data highlights several strengths: a 84.8% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $23,250 against $63,756 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.