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Hilbert College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Private nonprofit · Hamburg, NY · 921 students

The verdict

Hilbert College charges a net price of $22,723/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $90,892. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,309, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Hilbert College does not clear its cost — it ranks #118 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$22,723
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$48,309
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
97%
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Hilbert College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$22,723/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$90,892our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$48,309Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline$-51/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$24,750Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return$-91,912our 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.

Hilbert College: frequently asked questions

Is Hilbert College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $48,309, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Hilbert College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Hilbert College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $22,723/yr — about $90,892 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Hilbert College compare to other New York colleges?
It ranks #118 of 203 New York colleges we track by payback. Its $48,309 median earnings beat the national median of $43,552, and its $22,723 net price is above the national median of $16,906.