Head-to-head comparison
Roanoke College vs Randolph-Macon College: which has better ROI?
Option A Salem, VA
Roanoke College
- Net price / year
- $24,503
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,047
- Payback
- 10.1 yrs
Option B Ashland, VA
Randolph-Macon College
- Net price / year
- $27,866
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,448
- Payback
- 11 yrs
Roanoke College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $98,012 in 10.1 years versus 11 years at Randolph-Macon College, on median earnings of $58,047 vs $58,448 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Roanoke College | Randolph-Macon College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,503 | $27,866 |
| Total net cost | $98,012 | $111,464 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $58,047 | $58,448 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 10.1 yrs | 11 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $95,728 | $90,296 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Roanoke College or Randolph-Macon College?
Roanoke College, at $24,503 a year after aid versus $27,866 — a gap of $3,363 a year, or $13,452 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 Roanoke College or Randolph-Macon College graduates earn more?
Randolph-Macon College graduates report a median $58,448 ten years after entry, $401 more than the $58,047 at Roanoke 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, Roanoke College or Randolph-Macon 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?
70% of students finish at Randolph-Macon College, against 67% at Roanoke 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.