Head-to-head comparison
Shenandoah University vs Randolph-Macon College: which has better ROI?
Option A Winchester, VA
Shenandoah University
- Net price / year
- $30,298
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,433
- Payback
- 12 yrs
Option B Ashland, VA
Randolph-Macon College
- Net price / year
- $27,866
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,448
- Payback
- 11 yrs
Randolph-Macon College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $111,464 in 11 years versus 12 years at Shenandoah University, on median earnings of $58,448 vs $58,433 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Shenandoah University | Randolph-Macon College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $30,298 | $27,866 |
| Total net cost | $121,192 | $111,464 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $58,433 | $58,448 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 12 yrs | 11 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $80,268 | $90,296 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Shenandoah University or Randolph-Macon College?
Randolph-Macon College, at $27,866 a year after aid versus $30,298 — a gap of $2,432 a year, or $9,728 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 Shenandoah University or Randolph-Macon College graduates earn more?
Randolph-Macon College graduates report a median $58,448 ten years after entry, $15 more than the $58,433 at Shenandoah 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, Shenandoah University or Randolph-Macon College?
Shenandoah University: its completers carry a median $25,000 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Randolph-Macon College, a difference of $2,000. 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?
70% of students finish at Randolph-Macon College, against 67% at Shenandoah 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.