Head-to-head comparison
Donnelly College vs Bellus Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Kansas City, KS
Donnelly College
- Net price / year
- $11,476
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,715
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Manhattan, KS
Bellus Academy
- Net price / year
- $26,631
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,223
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Donnelly College comes closer — median earnings $35,715 against a $22,952 total, vs $25,223 at Bellus Academy. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Donnelly College | Bellus Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,476 | $26,631 |
| Total net cost | $22,952 | $106,524 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,715 | $25,223 |
| Median debt | $11,842 | $7,917 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$275,852 | -$569,264 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Donnelly College or Bellus Academy?
Donnelly College, at $11,476 a year after aid versus $26,631 — a gap of $15,155 a year, or $83,572 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 Donnelly College or Bellus Academy graduates earn more?
Donnelly College graduates report a median $35,715 ten years after entry, $10,492 more than the $25,223 at Bellus Academy. 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, Donnelly College or Bellus Academy?
Bellus Academy: its completers carry a median $7,917 in federal loans versus $11,842 at Donnelly College, a difference of $3,925. 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?
74% of students finish at Bellus Academy, against 46% at Donnelly 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.