Head-to-head comparison
Stevenson University vs Goucher College: which has better ROI?
Option A Owings Mills, MD
Stevenson University
- Net price / year
- $26,505
- Earnings, 10 years
- $62,079
- Payback
- 7.7 yrs
Option B Baltimore, MD
Goucher College
- Net price / year
- $22,470
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,023
- Payback
- 19.3 yrs
Stevenson University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $106,020 in 7.7 years versus 19.3 years at Goucher College, on median earnings of $62,079 vs $53,023 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Stevenson University | Goucher College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,505 | $22,470 |
| Total net cost | $106,020 | $89,880 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $62,079 | $53,023 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $26,000 |
| Payback | 7.7 yrs | 19.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $168,360 | $3,380 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Stevenson University or Goucher College?
Goucher College, at $22,470 a year after aid versus $26,505 — a gap of $4,035 a year, or $16,140 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 Stevenson University or Goucher College graduates earn more?
Stevenson University graduates report a median $62,079 ten years after entry, $9,056 more than the $53,023 at Goucher 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, Stevenson University or Goucher College?
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?
68% of students finish at Stevenson University, against 57% at Goucher 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.