Barton College

Barton College's published cost of attendance is $51,935. Net price by income band varies across the student body: low-income families pay approximately $19,641, mid-low-income families pay around $18,497, middle-income families pay about $22,510, mid-high-income families pay approximately $25,308, and higher-income families pay around $30,286.

Azimuth ranks Barton College #997 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Barton College's aid structure combines need-based grants, merit scholarships, and federal loan programs to help bridge the gap between sticker price and what families pay.

The variation across income bands reflects how institutional aid scales with demonstrated financial need; families apply using the FAFSA, and individual aid packages vary within each income band. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,877, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $26,818; 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 $51,766, median federal debt of $25,877 projects to a monthly payment of about $292 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 Barton College earn median 4-year earnings of $51,766, placing Barton College in the 11.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing Barton College in the 54.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Barton College #1097 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential).

The earnings pattern is anchored in health-related fields, which align with Barton College's dominant program family. Kinesiology is the largest program with 46 graduates and forms the core of the institution's degree output.

The Nursing program graduates 37 students earning median 4-year earnings of $79,283, delivering 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. Business Administration also contributes meaningfully with 36 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $55,125 at 0.8x the benchmark.

Additional programs including Biology, General and Social Work round out the portfolio with 22 and 17 graduates respectively. The concentration in health and related professional fields supports consistent early-career earnings and stable career pathways aligned with regional labor-market demand.

Barton College's program mix is anchored in health sciences and professional fields aligned with regional workforce demand. Kinesiology is the largest program with 46 graduates annually, followed by Nursing with 37 graduates earning median earnings of $79,283 four years after enrollment, Business Administration with 36 graduates earning $55,125, Biology, General with 22 graduates, and Social Work with 17 graduates.

The institution's dominant concentration in Health reflects its positioning as a regional liberal arts college with applied professional pathways. The highest-earning programs at Barton College center on health and business fields.

Nursing leads with graduates earning median earnings of $79,283 four years after enrollment across 37 graduates, while Business Administration delivers median earnings of $55,125 for 36 graduates. These outcomes reflect strong regional demand for health-care professionals and business-trained graduates in North Carolina's workforce market.

Barton College graduates enter a mix of direct-to-workforce and graduate-school-dependent pathways. Health-related programs including nursing and allied health fields position graduates for immediate employment in stable, growing sectors where four-year earnings reflect labor-market outcomes.

Other programs prepare students for further graduate or professional study, where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's program portfolio aligns with regional and national labor-market trends.