Students at Kenyon College achieve earnings that place them among the top performers nationally, with graduates earning significantly more than similar students at other institutions.
The college's combination of strong earnings outcomes and excellent loan repayment rates reflects its ability to deliver meaningful return on investment despite premium pricing.
Kenyon College is a small, highly selective private liberal arts college in Ohio that delivers exceptional long-term financial outcomes for its graduates. While the college serves a relatively affluent student body—only about 10% receive Pell Grants—those who attend see remarkable career success, with median earnings of $71,830 ten years after enrollment, placing Kenyon in the top 11% nationally for graduate earnings.
What makes Kenyon particularly compelling is how consistently its graduates outperform earnings expectations. The college generates about $4,335 more in annual earnings for its graduates compared with similar students at other institutions, reflecting the power of its academic reputation, alumni network, and career preparation. This earnings advantage, combined with strong loan repayment rates above 90%, demonstrates that Kenyon delivers meaningful return on investment despite its premium price point.
As a small liberal arts college with fewer than 2,000 students, Kenyon offers an intimate academic environment where students receive personalized attention and build close relationships with faculty. The college's location in rural Ohio provides a focused academic setting, while its strong alumni network opens doors to opportunities in major metropolitan areas nationwide. For families who can manage the higher costs, Kenyon represents a pathway to both intellectual growth and substantial long-term financial success.
Kenyon College's program portfolio reflects its liberal arts mission, with strong outcomes across diverse fields of study despite the inherent challenges of translating liberal arts education into immediate career earnings. Applied Economics emerges as a standout program, combining moderate enrollment of 38 graduates with solid early-career earnings of $50,856, demonstrating how Kenyon's economics curriculum prepares students for business and finance careers.
English Language and Literature represents Kenyon's largest program with 82 graduates, though early earnings of $23,456 reflect the typical trajectory for humanities majors who often pursue graduate school or enter fields where compensation grows substantially with experience. This pattern is common at elite liberal arts colleges, where many graduates use their undergraduate education as preparation for law school, graduate study, or careers in publishing, journalism, and other fields that reward long-term intellectual development over immediate earning potential.
The college's small size means individual programs graduate relatively few students, but this intimate scale allows for personalized mentorship and strong faculty relationships that prove valuable in graduate school admissions and career development. Kenyon's liberal arts approach emphasizes critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills that translate well across diverse career paths, contributing to the college's strong long-term earnings outcomes even when early-career figures appear modest in certain fields.
Kenyon College graduates achieve strong long-term earnings that place the institution among the top performers nationally. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $71,830, ranking in the top 11% of all colleges for graduate earnings outcomes. This performance reflects both the quality of Kenyon's academic programs and the strength of its alumni network in opening doors to high-paying career opportunities.
What's particularly impressive is how much better Kenyon graduates perform compared with similar students elsewhere. The college generates approximately $4,335 more in annual earnings than would be expected based on student characteristics and institutional factors, demonstrating genuine value creation through education, mentorship, and career preparation. This earnings premium compounds over time, creating substantial lifetime financial advantages for graduates.
Program-level outcomes vary but remain consistently strong across Kenyon's liberal arts curriculum. Applied Economics stands out as both a high-return and moderately sized program, with 38 graduates earning a median of $50,856 early in their careers. English Language and Literature, the college's largest major with 82 graduates, produces more modest early earnings around $23,456 but often leads to graduate school and professional pathways that drive longer-term success. The college's liberal arts focus means many graduates pursue advanced degrees or enter fields where earnings grow substantially with experience, contributing to Kenyon's strong 10-year outcomes despite more moderate early-career figures.
Kenyon College operates at a premium price point that reflects its position as a highly selective private liberal arts institution. Low-income families pay about $8,865 annually after aid, which is competitive for a college of Kenyon's caliber, while middle-income families face costs around $13,777 per year. However, high-income families pay the full freight of approximately $45,073 annually, placing Kenyon among the more expensive college options nationally.
The college's financial aid strategy focuses resources on the relatively small number of lower-income students it enrolls, with only about 10% of students receiving Pell Grants. This concentrated approach allows Kenyon to provide meaningful aid to those who need it most, though it also means the college primarily serves families with substantial financial resources. The aid structure reflects Kenyon's positioning as a premium educational product that delivers exceptional outcomes for those who can access it.
Despite the high sticker price, Kenyon's debt levels remain manageable for most students. Typical federal student loan debt is about $18,527, which is reasonable given the college's strong earnings outcomes. However, Parent PLUS borrowing averages $51,320, reflecting the reality that many families rely on parent loans to bridge the gap between aid and the full cost of attendance. The combination of strong graduate earnings and reasonable student debt levels helps ensure that Kenyon remains financially sustainable for most graduates, even with the premium pricing.
Kenyon College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
