Students at Albion College achieve earnings that significantly exceed expectations, with graduates earning nearly $9,500 more annually than similar students at comparable liberal arts institutions.
The college particularly excels at supporting low-income students to strong financial outcomes, ranking in the top quartile nationally for earnings among Pell recipients.
Albion College is a small private liberal arts institution in Michigan that delivers surprisingly strong financial outcomes for its graduates. While many liberal arts colleges struggle with return on investment, Albion stands out by generating earnings that significantly exceed expectations—graduates earn about $9,455 more than similar students at comparable institutions ten years after enrollment. This earnings advantage, combined with reasonable net prices for low- and middle-income families, makes Albion an unusually compelling choice among small private colleges.
The college serves a diverse student body, with 45% of students receiving Pell Grants and 28% being first-generation college students. Despite this broad access, Albion maintains strong completion rates and delivers particularly impressive outcomes for low-income students, who earn a median of $50,100 ten years after enrollment—placing the institution in the top quartile nationally for low-income earnings.
As a designated "Mobility Engine," Albion combines meaningful access with exceptional upward mobility outcomes. The college's small size allows for personalized attention and mentorship that helps students from all backgrounds succeed academically and professionally, translating into career outcomes that consistently outperform expectations for a liberal arts institution.
Albion College's program portfolio reflects its liberal arts mission while still delivering solid career outcomes across multiple fields. Applied Economics leads in aggregate return with 27 graduates earning $41,349 ten years out, demonstrating how the college's economics program prepares students for business and finance careers. Biology represents the largest program with 34 graduates, though the $29,685 median earnings reflect that many biology majors continue to medical school, graduate programs, or research positions where early-career salaries understate long-term potential.
The college's strength lies not in any single high-earning program but in its ability to help students across diverse majors achieve earnings that consistently exceed expectations. Whether students pursue economics, biology, or other liberal arts fields, they benefit from small class sizes, close faculty mentorship, and extensive alumni networks that open doors to career opportunities. This personalized approach to education and career preparation helps explain why Albion graduates earn nearly $9,500 more annually than similar students at peer institutions, regardless of their chosen field of study.
Albion College graduates achieve strong long-term earnings that significantly outperform expectations for a small liberal arts institution. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $58,799, with the college delivering an impressive earnings advantage of about $9,455 compared with similar students at peer institutions. This substantial earnings boost places Albion in the 66th percentile nationally for return on investment, remarkable performance for a small private liberal arts college.
The college's program mix reflects its liberal arts foundation while still producing strong career outcomes. Applied Economics stands out as the highest aggregate return program, with 27 graduates earning a median of $41,349 ten years out. Biology represents the largest program by enrollment with 34 graduates, though earnings in this field average $29,685, reflecting the pre-professional nature of many biology majors who continue to graduate school. The college's diverse academic offerings allow students to pursue their intellectual interests while still achieving solid financial outcomes across multiple fields of study.
What makes Albion particularly valuable is how consistently it helps students exceed earnings expectations regardless of their chosen field. The college's small size enables close faculty mentorship, extensive alumni networks, and personalized career guidance that translates into job placement and salary outcomes that punch well above the institution's weight class among liberal arts colleges.
Albion College maintains reasonable affordability despite its private liberal arts positioning, particularly for families with lower and middle incomes. Low-income students pay an average net price of $11,241 annually, while middle-income families see costs around $14,936 per year—both figures represent solid value given the personalized education and strong outcomes the college delivers. Even high-income families pay $25,793 annually, which remains competitive within the private liberal arts sector.
Debt levels at Albion are manageable relative to the earnings graduates achieve. Typical students leave with $27,000 in federal loan debt, while families who choose Parent PLUS loans borrow an average of $23,675. With median graduate earnings of $58,799 ten years out, most borrowers can handle standard repayment comfortably. The college's 0% federal loan default rate reflects both the financial stability of graduates and the institution's commitment to preparing students for successful loan repayment.
The combination of reasonable net prices, manageable debt levels, and strong graduate earnings creates a sustainable financial model for most families. Albion's ability to deliver earnings that exceed expectations by nearly $9,500 annually helps justify the investment, particularly for students who value the small college experience but want assurance of solid long-term financial outcomes.
Albion College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
