Head-to-head comparison
Champlain College vs Middlebury 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 Middlebury, VT
Middlebury College
- Net price / year
- $31,483
- Earnings, 10 years
- $76,310
- Payback
- 4.5 yrs
Middlebury College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $125,932 in 4.5 years versus 14.3 years at Champlain College, on median earnings of $76,310 vs $58,386 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Champlain College | Middlebury College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $35,860 | $31,483 |
| Total net cost | $143,440 | $125,932 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $58,386 | $76,310 |
| Median debt | $26,814 | $13,857 |
| Payback | 14.3 yrs | 4.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $57,080 | $433,068 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Champlain College or Middlebury College?
Middlebury College, at $31,483 a year after aid versus $35,860 — a gap of $4,377 a year, or $17,508 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 Middlebury College graduates earn more?
Middlebury College graduates report a median $76,310 ten years after entry, $17,924 more than the $58,386 at Champlain 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 Middlebury College?
Middlebury College: its completers carry a median $13,857 in federal loans versus $26,814 at Champlain College, a difference of $12,957. 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?
91% of students finish at Middlebury 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.