Head-to-head comparison
Piedmont University vs Covenant College: which has better ROI?
Option A Demorest, GA
Piedmont University
- Net price / year
- $20,599
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,130
- Payback
- 107 yrs
Option B Lookout Mountain, GA
Covenant College
- Net price / year
- $26,265
- Earnings, 10 years
- $50,412
- Payback
- 51.2 yrs
Covenant College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $105,060 in 51.2 years versus 107 years at Piedmont University, on median earnings of $50,412 vs $49,130 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Piedmont University | Covenant College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $20,599 | $26,265 |
| Total net cost | $82,396 | $105,060 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $49,130 | $50,412 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $22,500 |
| Payback | 107 yrs | 51.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$66,996 | -$64,020 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Piedmont University or Covenant College?
Piedmont University, at $20,599 a year after aid versus $26,265 — a gap of $5,666 a year, or $22,664 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 Piedmont University or Covenant College graduates earn more?
Covenant College graduates report a median $50,412 ten years after entry, $1,282 more than the $49,130 at Piedmont University. 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, Piedmont University or Covenant College?
Covenant College: its completers carry a median $22,500 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Piedmont University, a difference of $2,500. 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?
71% of students finish at Covenant College, against 47% at Piedmont University. 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.