Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Guilford College #1281 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,317 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Guilford College in the 25.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Guilford College #1207 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Guilford College's Azimuth ranking reflects strong outcomes across its core pillars — return, access, and mobility working together. Graduates earn about $8,317 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 25.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Guilford College #1281 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Greensboro, North Carolina, Guilford College enrolls roughly 1,001 undergraduates. Retention is 64.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 45.8%, reflecting solid completion outcomes for a residential liberal arts institution. Guilford College delivers meaningful long-term financial returns for its graduates. Azimuth ranks Guilford College #1207 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $50,433, and they earn about $8,317 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Guilford College in the 25.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's strength in Biological Sciences — a field with solid career demand and earnings trajectory — anchors this performance. Access and affordability round out the composite profile. Guilford College enrolls 43.7% Pell-eligible students and 26.3% first-generation undergraduates, positioning the college in the 43.5 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 28.3 percentile, reflecting the pricing typical of private baccalaureate institutions with need-based aid commitments. Mobility outcomes place the institution in the 15.9 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, indicating that graduates move into stable career pathways at rates consistent with peer institutions.
Guilford College's published cost of attendance is $55,689. Net price by income band reveals how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $18,367, middle-income families pay around $34,680, and higher-income families pay approximately $49,368. Azimuth ranks Guilford College #1022 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. Guilford College's aid structure combines need-based grants, merit scholarships, and federal loan programs. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid, with need-based aid available to qualifying students. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility for need-based support. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $37,100; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $50,433, median federal debt of $26,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $294 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Guilford College is a good fit for students interested in the biological sciences and related fields who want a small private college experience in NC. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $50,433, placing Guilford College in the 10.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $8,317 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Guilford College in the 25.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 43.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 26.3% are first-generation — and delivers completion rates that support upward mobility. Published cost of attendance is $49,368, with need-based aid reducing net price for low-income families. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 80.0% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors biological sciences and related fields. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find Guilford College's outcomes among the strongest in the region.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Guilford College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Guilford College's published cost of attendance is $55,689. Net price by income band reveals how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $18,367, middle-income families pay around $34,680, and higher-income families pay approximately $49,368.
Azimuth ranks Guilford College #1022 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.
Guilford College's aid structure combines need-based grants, merit scholarships, and federal loan programs. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid, with need-based aid available to qualifying students.
Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility for need-based support. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $37,100; 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 $50,433, median federal debt of $26,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $294 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 Guilford College earn median 4-year earnings of $50,433, placing Guilford College in the 10.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,317 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Guilford College in the 25.5 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Guilford College #1207 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Guilford College's concentration in Biological Sciences.
Biology, General is the largest program with 31 graduates, followed by Kinesiology with 26 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $46,651 — 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 24 students with median 4-year earnings of $60,858, at 0.9× the benchmark, while Psychology, General and English Language and Literature, General round out the top programs with 17 and 16 graduates respectively, earning $49,921 and $49,064 at 1.0× and 1.0× their respective benchmarks.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
William Jessup University Similar quality tier (#36007 ranked) | CA | 93% | $56,257 | #36007 | Compare |
Williams Baptist University Similar quality tier (#36008 ranked) | AR | 83% | $38,484 | #36008 | Compare |
Juniata College Similar quality tier (#36003 ranked) | PA | 79% | $56,918 | #36003 | Compare |
Limestone University Similar quality tier in Southeast (#36009 ranked) | SC | 97% | $44,999 | #36009 | Compare |
Northwestern College Similar quality tier (#36010 ranked) | IA | 80% | $49,802 | #36010 | Compare |
Accounting and Related Services
13 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
6 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
24 graduates
Criminal Justice and Corrections
9 graduates
Psychology, General
17 graduates
Guilford College's program mix is anchored in the biological sciences, reflecting the institution's identity as a liberal arts college with particular strength in life sciences and health-related fields. Biology, General is the largest program with 31 graduates, followed by Kinesiology with 26 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $46,651, Business Administration with 24 graduates earning $60,858, Psychology, General with 17 graduates earning $49,921, and English Language and Literature, General with 16 graduates earning $49,064.
Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 251 students annually, the institution demonstrates consistent outcomes in applied health and science fields. The highest-earning programs at Guilford College cluster in health sciences and applied fields.
Accounting graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,698 with 13 graduates, while Business Administration delivers $60,858 with 24 graduates and Psychology, General reaches $49,921 with 17 graduates. English Language and Literature, General earns $49,064 and Kinesiology reaches $46,651, demonstrating that Guilford College's strength extends across multiple health and science pathways.
The program portfolio reflects a liberal arts institution positioned toward applied outcomes in health and life sciences. Business represents 13% of graduates, Arts accounts for 8%, and Social Sciences comprises 8%, together anchoring the institution's academic identity.
Many of these programs are direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes in nursing, health sciences, and related fields. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these health-sciences-focused fields align with national labor-market demand and wage trends.
