10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$221,350at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Lees-McRae College
⌖ Banner Elk, NC · 7 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$221,350 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.
40.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
−75%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,201Observed 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
$28,340Average net price / year
$49,498Cost of attendance
$52,201Median earnings · year 5 after completion
42.1%Completion rate
76.8%Admission rate
873Student 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
$38,074Year 1
$50,979Year 4
$52,201Year 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.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$87,5232Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's Degree$60,1083Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's Degree$50,0854Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · Bachelor's Degree$45,8625Psychology, General · Bachelor's Degree$44,1616Human Services, General · Bachelor's Degree$43,2737Zoology/Animal Biology · Bachelor's Degree$38,699Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in NC
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.
Montreat, NC
Montreat College
- Annual net price
- $27,061
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,715
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -73%
Methodist University
- Annual net price
- $24,704
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,513
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -84%
Campbell University
- Annual net price
- $24,516
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,342
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -63%
Meredith College
- Annual net price
- $22,488
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,359
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -84%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $87,523 | $23,125 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $60,108 | $18,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $50,085 | $15,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $45,862 | $15,000 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $44,161 | $27,250 |
| Human Services, General | Bachelor's Degree | $43,273 | $15,750 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $38,699 | $24,120 |
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.