Head-to-head comparison
Smith College vs Wheaton College (Massachusetts): which has better ROI?
Option A Northampton, MA
Smith College
- Net price / year
- $27,579
- Earnings, 10 years
- $64,027
- Payback
- 7 yrs
Option B Norton, MA
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
- Net price / year
- $29,822
- Earnings, 10 years
- $67,725
- Payback
- 6.2 yrs
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $119,288 in 6.2 years versus 7 years at Smith College, on median earnings of $67,725 vs $64,027 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Smith College | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,579 | $29,822 |
| Total net cost | $110,316 | $119,288 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $64,027 | $67,725 |
| Median debt | $17,550 | $26,000 |
| Payback | 7 yrs | 6.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $203,024 | $268,012 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Smith College or Wheaton College (Massachusetts)?
Smith College, at $27,579 a year after aid versus $29,822 — a gap of $2,243 a year, or $8,972 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 Smith College or Wheaton College (Massachusetts) graduates earn more?
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) graduates report a median $67,725 ten years after entry, $3,698 more than the $64,027 at Smith 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, Smith College or Wheaton College (Massachusetts)?
Smith College: its completers carry a median $17,550 in federal loans versus $26,000 at Wheaton College (Massachusetts), a difference of $8,450. 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?
89% of students finish at Smith College, against 73% at Wheaton College (Massachusetts). 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.