Head-to-head comparison
Bowdoin College vs Saint Joseph's College of Maine: which has better ROI?
Option A Brunswick, ME
Bowdoin College
- Net price / year
- $14,398
- Earnings, 10 years
- $82,735
- Payback
- 1.7 yrs
Option B Standish, ME
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
- Net price / year
- $27,555
- Earnings, 10 years
- $59,045
- Payback
- 10.3 yrs
Bowdoin College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $57,592 in 1.7 years versus 10.3 years at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, on median earnings of $82,735 vs $59,045 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bowdoin College | Saint Joseph's College of Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,398 | $27,555 |
| Total net cost | $57,592 | $110,220 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $82,735 | $59,045 |
| Median debt | $18,500 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 1.7 yrs | 10.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $629,908 | $103,480 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bowdoin College or Saint Joseph's College of Maine?
Bowdoin College, at $14,398 a year after aid versus $27,555 — a gap of $13,157 a year, or $52,628 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 Bowdoin College or Saint Joseph's College of Maine graduates earn more?
Bowdoin College graduates report a median $82,735 ten years after entry, $23,690 more than the $59,045 at Saint Joseph's College of Maine. 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, Bowdoin College or Saint Joseph's College of Maine?
Bowdoin College: its completers carry a median $18,500 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, a difference of $8,500. 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?
95% of students finish at Bowdoin College, against 66% at Saint Joseph's College of Maine. 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.