Wilmington College
Wilmington, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 92.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Wilmington College (Ohio) lands at an ROI score of 30 - solidly in Below Benchmark tier. Every sub-score is below 50: a 14% earnings premium, a 17.5-year payback period, a 0.734 debt-to-earnings ratio (heavy), a 47.3% completion rate (concerning), and a 71.4% three-year repayment rate. Sticker tuition is $32,082, net price drops to $24,153 thanks to discounting, but median debt of $24,208 and 10-year median earnings of just $48,491 mean the math doesn't pencil. Average earnings six years out are only $33,000. With 1,006 students and a Pell rate of 38.9%, this is a small Ohio private serving a moderate-income student base. The honest read: graduates earn modestly, borrow meaningfully, and repay slowly. Strong fit students (those targeting accounting, business, or specific allied health roles) can do okay, but the broader institutional signal is that the price-to-outcome ratio strains the value case unless the discount package is unusually deep or the student fits a specific high-earning major.
How Wilmington College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score30/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Wilmington College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,082/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,082/yr |
| Average net price | $24,153/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $96,612 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,491 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,208 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,006 |
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: $32,082/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,153/year, or roughly $96,612 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 $19,820/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,149/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,208, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,000) and comes to 0.73, 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 | $19,820 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,434 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,559 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,017 |
| $110,001+ | $27,149 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $19,820 net annually - a meaningful $4,300 below the average net price, but still nearly $20K cash out per year. Over four years that's roughly $80K against a 10-year median earnings of $48,491. Even with Pell maximums and federal loans, low-income families face real cash strain, and the 47% completion rate amplifies the risk: borrowing and not finishing is the worst outcome.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income households ($48,001-$75,000) pay $21,559 - close to the $30,001-$48,000 bracket ($21,434), suggesting institutional aid flattens across these tiers. The math is tight: roughly $86K over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $27,149 - near the published net price. Over four years that's $108K cash, with limited expected discount.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Wilmington College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,449 | C |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $52,319 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $49,559 | F |
| Education, General | $43,077 | D |
| Accounting | $64,377 | C |
| Psychology | $42,018 | - |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $56,044 | C+ |
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 Wilmington's largest program at 63 graduates per year, with $53,008 first-year and $62,449 four-year earnings - solid. The catch: median debt of $30,284 yields a 0.571 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). Students can service the debt but won't feel financially comfortable early in their careers. This is the most defensible mainstream choice on campus.
Agricultural Business and Management
Ag Business (59 graduates) is Wilmington's signature program reflecting its rural southwest Ohio roots. Earnings of $41,957 first-year and $52,319 four-year are moderate; debt of $24,525 produces a 0.585 ratio (C grade). Students returning to family farms or entering ag services find this a strong cultural and program fit, even if the absolute earnings are modest.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology (55 graduates) has $26,433 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt, which produces a 1.021 debt-to-earnings ratio - higher than annual income - and an F ROI grade. Four-year earnings improve to $49,559 but debt-to-earnings remains heavy. Students considering this path should plan for graduate study (PT, OT) to make the financial picture work; terminal bachelor's is structurally hard.
Education, General
Education (30 graduates) shows the classic teaching-degree squeeze: $37,015 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt yields a 0.729 ratio (D grade). Wilmington's education program serves Ohio teaching markets where starting salaries are modest. The mission case is clear; the financial case requires accepting a long, slow payback.
Accounting
Accounting (23 graduates) has the strongest first-year earnings on campus at $54,451, climbing to $64,377 at four years. Debt of $31,000 produces a 0.569 ratio (C grade). Students who pursue CPA credentials and corporate accounting roles can outpace these medians; the program is the strongest pure-financial fit at Wilmington for students who can finish.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 73.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Wilmington 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 | 92.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 400-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-23 |
| Enrollment | 1,006 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,539 |
Wilmington admits 92.4% of applicants - effectively open admission. SAT mid-ranges (math 400-610, reading 450-610) and ACT 16-23 reveal a wide academic distribution among admitted students. The combination of near-open admission and a 47.3% completion rate is the textbook pattern for institutions that admit liberally and lose roughly half their entering class. Selectivity here is not a meaningful filter; the financial risk of attending and not finishing is the central concern.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington College (this school) | 30 | $24,153 | $48,491 |
| Life University | 31 | $29,791 | $47,397 |
| College for Creative Studies | 30 | $34,617 | $44,860 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| California College of the Arts | 27 | $53,909 | $49,414 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
With 38.9% Pell, enrollment of 1,006, and a deep liberal-arts-plus-agriculture-and-education program mix, Wilmington fits students drawn to a small, Quaker-affiliated, residential Ohio private. The fit narrows financially: students should be confident they'll finish (the 47% completion rate is the central risk) and should target the higher-earning programs (business, accounting, allied health) rather than the kinesiology track that posts an F ROI grade.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Wilmington College scores 30/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $24,153 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,491 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.5 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 47.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 71.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,208 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73. 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.
Wilmington College: Common Questions
Is Wilmington College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Wilmington College scores 30/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $24,153 a year after aid against $48,491 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Wilmington 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 $24,153 a year, or roughly $96,612 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 Wilmington College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,491 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,691 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 Wilmington 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 17.5 years for Wilmington College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Wilmington College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,208, against average earnings of $33,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.73. 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 Wilmington College?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.3%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.