Lafayette College

Lafayette College's published cost of attendance is $83,133. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $12,716, middle-income families pay around $10,881, and higher-income families pay approximately $52,608.

Azimuth ranks Lafayette College #1238 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.

Lafayette College meets demonstrated financial need through need-based aid, with no merit component in the institutional aid structure. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to help bridge the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $59,000; 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 $91,758, median federal debt of $16,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $181 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 earn median 4-year earnings of $91,758, placing Lafayette College in the 93.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs notably above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band), reflecting the strong labor-market positioning that a Lafayette College degree tends to produce.

Azimuth ranks Lafayette College #87 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern at Lafayette College is anchored by its dominant concentration in Social Sciences, which accounts for 34% of degrees, alongside meaningful shares in Engineering (20%) and Arts (6%).

The program with the highest aggregate return is Economics, combining strong cohort scale with competitive four-year earnings. Economics is the largest program by graduates (140 students), with median earnings of $112,864 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #29 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

Political Science and Psychology, General round out the upper tier, with graduates earning $87,904 and $73,435 respectively at the four-year mark. Among the highest-earning programs, Economics stands out — Azimuth ranks it #29 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $112,864, roughly 1.36x the national benchmark for the field.

Lafayette College's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, with concentrations in quantitative and applied fields that align with the institution's liberal arts identity. Social Sciences accounts for 34% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 20% and Arts at 6%.

Across 29 programs serving roughly 841 students annually, the college's degree output reflects an analytically oriented liberal arts profile. Economics combines cohort scale with strong median earnings four years after enrollment.

Among the most popular programs, Economics program graduates 140 students with median earnings of $112,864 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #29 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Political Science and Psychology, General follow in enrollment scale, with median earnings of $87,904 and $73,435 respectively four years after enrollment.

The highest-earning programs at Lafayette College are concentrated in finance-adjacent and technical fields. Chemical Engineering leads with median earnings of $115,726 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #7 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Economics and Mechanical Engineering also post strong early-career figures with median earnings of $112,864 and $101,348 respectively four years after enrollment.