Head-to-head comparison
Lake Erie College vs Ohio Dominican University: which has better ROI?
Option A Painesville, OH
Lake Erie College
- Net price / year
- $20,961
- Earnings, 10 years
- $50,417
- Payback
- 40.8 yrs
Option B Columbus, OH
Ohio Dominican University
- Net price / year
- $20,079
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,748
- Payback
- 23.7 yrs
Ohio Dominican University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $80,316 in 23.7 years versus 40.8 years at Lake Erie College, on median earnings of $51,748 vs $50,417 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lake Erie College | Ohio Dominican University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $20,961 | $20,079 |
| Total net cost | $83,844 | $80,316 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $50,417 | $51,748 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $26,000 |
| Payback | 40.8 yrs | 23.7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$42,704 | -$12,556 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lake Erie College or Ohio Dominican University?
Ohio Dominican University, at $20,079 a year after aid versus $20,961 — a gap of $882 a year, or $3,528 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 Lake Erie College or Ohio Dominican University graduates earn more?
Ohio Dominican University graduates report a median $51,748 ten years after entry, $1,331 more than the $50,417 at Lake Erie 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, Lake Erie College or Ohio Dominican University?
Completers at both borrow a median $26,000, 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?
41% of students finish at Ohio Dominican University, against 38% at Lake Erie 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.