10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$243,706at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Cornell College
⌖ Mount Vernon, IA · 7 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$243,706 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
89.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−89%Modeled 10-year ROI
$48,083Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$23,634Average net price / year
$66,249Cost of attendance
$48,083Median earnings · year 5 after completion
61.8%Completion rate
79.9%Admission rate
1,086Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$34,521Year 1
$48,353Year 4
$48,083Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$84,9382Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology · Bachelor's Degree$64,5103Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · Bachelor's Degree$59,1954Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · Bachelor's Degree$47,7625Fine and Studio Arts · Bachelor's Degree$38,299Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in IA
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Pella, IA
Central College
- Annual net price
- $23,377
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,385
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -77%
Buena Vista University
- Annual net price
- $18,846
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,392
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -83%
Dordt University
- Annual net price
- $25,807
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,018
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -75%
Northwestern College
- Annual net price
- $25,907
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,409
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -74%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $84,938 | Not available |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $64,510 | $27,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $59,195 | $27,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $47,762 | $27,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $38,299 | Not available |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,000 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,000 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.