Head-to-head comparison
Keuka College vs Elmira College: which has better ROI?
Option A Keuka Park, NY
Keuka College
- Net price / year
- $24,338
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,289
- Payback
- 9.8 yrs
Option B Elmira, NY
Elmira College
- Net price / year
- $22,386
- Earnings, 10 years
- $57,550
- Payback
- 9.7 yrs
Elmira College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $89,544 in 9.7 years versus 9.8 years at Keuka College, on median earnings of $57,550 vs $58,289 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Keuka College | Elmira College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,338 | $22,386 |
| Total net cost | $97,352 | $89,544 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $58,289 | $57,550 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 9.8 yrs | 9.7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $101,228 | $94,256 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Keuka College or Elmira College?
Elmira College, at $22,386 a year after aid versus $24,338 — a gap of $1,952 a year, or $7,808 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 Keuka College or Elmira College graduates earn more?
Keuka College graduates report a median $58,289 ten years after entry, $739 more than the $57,550 at Elmira 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, Keuka College or Elmira College?
Completers at both borrow a median $27,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
65% of students finish at Elmira College, against 58% at Keuka 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.