Head-to-head comparison
Champlain College vs Bennington College: which has better ROI?
Option A Burlington, VT
Champlain College
- Net price / year
- $35,860
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,386
- Payback
- 14.3 yrs
Option B Bennington, VT
Bennington College
- Net price / year
- $30,947
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,289
- Payback
- No payback
Champlain College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $143,440 in 14.3 years versus not at all at Bennington College, on median earnings of $58,386 vs $38,289 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Champlain College | Bennington College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $35,860 | $30,947 |
| Total net cost | $143,440 | $123,788 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $58,386 | $38,289 |
| Median debt | $26,814 | $26,000 |
| Payback | 14.3 yrs | — |
| 20-year net return | $57,080 | -$325,208 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Champlain College or Bennington College?
Bennington College, at $30,947 a year after aid versus $35,860 — a gap of $4,913 a year, or $19,652 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 Champlain College or Bennington College graduates earn more?
Champlain College graduates report a median $58,386 ten years after entry, $20,097 more than the $38,289 at Bennington 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, Champlain College or Bennington College?
Bennington College: its completers carry a median $26,000 in federal loans versus $26,814 at Champlain College, a difference of $814. 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?
71% of students finish at Bennington College, against 65% at Champlain 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.