Head-to-head comparison
Dartmouth College vs Keene State College: which has better ROI?
Option A Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College
- Net price / year
- $29,519
- Earnings, 10 years
- $97,434
- Payback
- 2.4 yrs
Option B Keene, NH
Keene State College
- Net price / year
- $17,887
- Earnings, 10 years
- $54,368
- Payback
- 11.9 yrs
Dartmouth College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $118,076 in 2.4 years versus 11.9 years at Keene State College, on median earnings of $97,434 vs $54,368 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Dartmouth College | Keene State College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,519 | $17,887 |
| Total net cost | $118,076 | $71,548 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $97,434 | $54,368 |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $25,749 |
| Payback | 2.4 yrs | 11.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $863,404 | $48,612 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Dartmouth College or Keene State College?
Keene State College, at $17,887 a year after aid versus $29,519 — a gap of $11,632 a year, or $46,528 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 Dartmouth College or Keene State College graduates earn more?
Dartmouth College graduates report a median $97,434 ten years after entry, $43,066 more than the $54,368 at Keene State 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, Dartmouth College or Keene State College?
Dartmouth College: its completers carry a median $17,500 in federal loans versus $25,749 at Keene State College, a difference of $8,249. 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?
96% of students finish at Dartmouth College, against 60% at Keene State 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.