Head-to-head comparison
Averett University vs Sweet Briar College: which has better ROI?
Option A Danville, VA
Averett University
- Net price / year
- $22,925
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,516
- Payback
- 29.1 yrs
Option B Sweet Briar, VA
Sweet Briar College
- Net price / year
- $17,758
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,943
- Payback
- 19.8 yrs
Sweet Briar College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $71,032 in 19.8 years versus 29.1 years at Averett University, on median earnings of $51,943 vs $51,516 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Averett University | Sweet Briar College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $22,925 | $17,758 |
| Total net cost | $91,700 | $71,032 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,516 | $51,943 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 29.1 yrs | 19.8 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$28,580 | $628 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Averett University or Sweet Briar College?
Sweet Briar College, at $17,758 a year after aid versus $22,925 — a gap of $5,167 a year, or $20,668 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Averett University or Sweet Briar College graduates earn more?
Sweet Briar College graduates report a median $51,943 ten years after entry, $427 more than the $51,516 at Averett University. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Averett University or Sweet Briar College?
Averett University: its completers carry a median $25,000 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Sweet Briar College, a difference of $2,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
52% of students finish at Sweet Briar College, against 48% at Averett University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.