Head-to-head comparison
Bridgewater College vs Randolph College: which has better ROI?
Option A Bridgewater, VA
Bridgewater College
- Net price / year
- $17,800
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,453
- Payback
- 14 yrs
Option B Lynchburg, VA
Randolph College
- Net price / year
- $15,921
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,409
- Payback
- 12.6 yrs
Randolph College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $63,684 in 12.6 years versus 14 years at Bridgewater College, on median earnings of $53,409 vs $53,453 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bridgewater College | Randolph College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,800 | $15,921 |
| Total net cost | $71,200 | $63,684 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $53,453 | $53,409 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $26,950 |
| Payback | 14 yrs | 12.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $30,660 | $37,296 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bridgewater College or Randolph College?
Randolph College, at $15,921 a year after aid versus $17,800 — a gap of $1,879 a year, or $7,516 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 Bridgewater College or Randolph College graduates earn more?
Bridgewater College graduates report a median $53,453 ten years after entry, $44 more than the $53,409 at Randolph College. 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, Bridgewater College or Randolph College?
Bridgewater College: its completers carry a median $26,000 in federal loans versus $26,950 at Randolph College, a difference of $950. 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?
53% of students finish at Bridgewater College, against 46% at Randolph College. 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.