Bryan College-Dayton — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bryan College-Dayton charges a net price of $20,614/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $82,456. Graduates earn a median $54,434 ten years after entry, $6,074/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 13.6 years — a 20-year net return of $39,024, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Bryan College-Dayton's 13.6-year payback ranks #919 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 28% of them, and #10 of 91 in Tennessee.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $20,614/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $82,456 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $54,434 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $6,074/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 13.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $39,024 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.