Adrian College

Adrian College's published cost of attendance is $56,003. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $19,542, middle-income families pay around $24,162, and higher-income families pay approximately $28,652.

Azimuth ranks Adrian College #1160 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Adrian College uses need-based aid to reshape the sticker price across income levels. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs.

Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile to determine eligibility for need-based scholarships and grants. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $27,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $38,405; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $55,233, median federal debt of $27,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $305 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Adrian College earn median 4-year earnings of $55,233, placing Adrian College in the 30.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,292 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Adrian College in the 25.6 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Adrian College #977 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Adrian College's concentration in business and professional fields.

Kinesiology is the largest program with 54 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $51,559, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Criminal Justice program graduates 33 students with median 4-year earnings of $54,077, while Biology, General and Business Administration round out the top programs with 29 and 27 graduates respectively, earning $63,816 and $69,654.

This program mix — anchored in Business — supports consistent early-career outcomes and positions graduates for stable career pathways in fields with sustained employer demand.

Adrian College's program mix is anchored in business and professional fields, reflecting the institution's identity as a private liberal arts college. Kinesiology is the largest program with 54 graduates, followed by Criminal Justice, Biology, General, Business Administration, and Subject-Specific Teacher Education.

Across 15 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with 283 students graduating annually. The highest-earning programs cluster in business and applied professional fields.

Accounting leads with median 4-year earnings of $77,588 from 17 graduates, followed by Business Administration at $69,654, Digital Marketing at $66,808, Biology, General at $63,816, and Social Work at $54,277. The concentration of earnings strength in business-adjacent fields aligns with Adrian College's dominant program family of Business, which accounts for a substantial share of degree output and graduate employment outcomes.

Several of these programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes in accounting, finance, and management roles. Others, particularly in education and social sciences, serve students who may pursue graduate study or advanced credentials, meaning four-year earnings provide a partial picture of lifetime trajectory.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) offers context for how these fields align with current labor-market conditions and wage trends.