Town Colleges: Costs & Outcomes (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Town: median public in-state tuition $9,600 (+74.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $52,248 (-3.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,000 (+13.0% vs U.S.) 3,644,971 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 1,517 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 3,644,971 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $9,600 (+74.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,248 (-3.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 89.6% (+1.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $14,971 (+50.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $15,000 (+13.0% vs U.S. $13,271). Debt rank: #3 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank)
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 52.2%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 75.6%
- Student debt rank: #3 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank)
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Overview
Colleges classified as Town sit in NCES Town — fringe, distant, and remote town locales. 1,517 reporting campuses in this profile, with about 3,644,971 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $9,600. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and top town campuses against U.S. medians and other campus settings from the College Scorecard.
Town vs national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town | $9,600 | $14,971 | $15,000 | 52.2% | 3,644,971 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Town vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town | $52,248 | 89.6% | 75.6% | 5.2% | — | 75.7% | 0.44 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Campus settings compared
Other NCES campus-setting groups (urban, suburban, town, rural).
| Setting | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town | $9,600 | $14,971 | $15,000 | 52.2% | 3,644,971 | $52,248 | 89.6% |
| Urban | $15,200 | $20,053 | $14,000 | 54.7% | 4,168,431 | $57,648 | 86.6% |
| Rural | $14,160 | $18,700 | $12,000 | 54.0% | 3,610,516 | $58,295 | 86.4% |
| Suburban | $13,135 | $18,048 | $13,938 | 51.7% | 2,375,539 | $55,043 | 88.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Outcomes by sector in Town
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 13 | $42,215 | 81.1% | 73.0% | 10.4% | — | 52.1% |
| Private nonprofit | 295 | $53,187 | 89.6% | 76.0% | 4.3% | — | 77.0% |
| Public | 237 | $51,019 | 89.8% | 75.5% | 6.4% | — | 74.5% |
Top 10 colleges in Town by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 100.0%, Chamberlain University-Michigan
Chamberlain University-Michigan
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 97.6%, Princeton University
Princeton University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 95.5%, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 95.4%, Cornell University
Cornell University
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 95.3%, Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
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Rank 6, Graduation Rate, 95.1%, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
-
Rank 7, Graduation Rate, 93.9%, Amherst College
Amherst College
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Rank 8, Graduation Rate, 93.9%, Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
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Rank 9, Graduation Rate, 93.6%, Williams College
Williams College
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Rank 10, Graduation Rate, 92.7%, United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
Top 10 colleges in Town by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 96.6%, Mount Marty University
Mount Marty University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 96.5%, Wartburg College
Wartburg College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 96.4%, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 96.3%, Winona State University
Winona State University
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 96.1%, Carroll University
Carroll University
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 96.0%, Marian University
Marian University
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 96.0%, Bethel College-North Newton
Bethel College-North Newton
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 95.9%, Viterbo University
Viterbo University
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 95.9%, University of Minnesota-Duluth
University of Minnesota-Duluth
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 95.9%, Hastings College
Hastings College
Top 10 most selective colleges in Town (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 4.6%, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 2, Admission Rate, 5.4%, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 7.1%, Colby College
Colby College
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 7.1%, Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 7.7%, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
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Rank 6, Admission Rate, 8.2%, Williams College
Williams College
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Rank 7, Admission Rate, 8.8%, Cornell University
Cornell University
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Rank 8, Admission Rate, 9.0%, Amherst College
Amherst College
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Rank 9, Admission Rate, 10.8%, Middlebury College
Middlebury College
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Rank 10, Admission Rate, 12.0%, College of the Ozarks
College of the Ozarks
Top 10 colleges in Town by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $152,656, Cornell University
Cornell University
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $146,624, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $132,919, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
-
Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $124,530, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $115,284, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $110,814, Williams College
Williams College
-
Rank 7, Entry-Level Earnings, $110,626, California State University-Dominguez Hills
California State University-Dominguez Hills
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Rank 8, Entry-Level Earnings, $104,943, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 9, Entry-Level Earnings, $104,017, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
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Rank 10, Entry-Level Earnings, $102,998, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Top 10 colleges in Town by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $223,309, Cornell University
Cornell University
-
Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $217,973, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $209,574, Williams College
Williams College
-
Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $201,702, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
-
Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $181,981, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $163,740, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
-
Rank 7, Early-Career Earnings, $156,885, Bucknell University
Bucknell University
-
Rank 8, Early-Career Earnings, $149,622, Dominican University of California
Dominican University of California
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Rank 9, Early-Career Earnings, $148,087, Bentley University
Bentley University
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Rank 10, Early-Career Earnings, $147,746, Boston College
Boston College
Top 10 colleges in Town by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $96,114, West Coast University-Miami
West Coast University-Miami
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $88,810, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
-
Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $87,830, Cornell University
Cornell University
-
Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $87,815, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $86,679, Bentley University
Bentley University
-
Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $85,935, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $85,717, Boston College
Boston College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $84,533, Chamberlain University-Michigan
Chamberlain University-Michigan
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $84,533, Chamberlain University-California
Chamberlain University-California
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $83,054, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Top 10 colleges in Town by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $112,152, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $102,857, Bentley University
Bentley University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $98,146, West Coast University-Miami
West Coast University-Miami
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $97,905, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $97,731, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
-
Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $97,098, Cornell University
Cornell University
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $95,369, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $93,607, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $89,772, Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $89,620, Boston College
Boston College
Top 10 colleges in Town by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $120,959, Bentley University
Bentley University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $110,066, Princeton University
Princeton University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $105,584, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $104,043, Cornell University
Cornell University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $103,937, Boston College
Boston College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $102,672, West Coast University-Miami
West Coast University-Miami
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $102,051, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $101,253, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $97,434, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $94,823, Kettering University
Kettering University
Top 10 colleges in Town by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $490,486, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $338,556, Cornell University
Cornell University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $331,776, West Coast University-Miami
West Coast University-Miami
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $327,521, Bentley University
Bentley University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $318,178, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $317,628, Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $310,212, Williams College
Williams College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $303,690, Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $302,398, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $302,153, Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Town (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $3,968, Indiana University-Kokomo
Indiana University-Kokomo
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Rank 2, Net Price, $8,837, University of Minnesota-Morris
University of Minnesota-Morris
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Rank 3, Net Price, $7,007, University of Michigan-Flint
University of Michigan-Flint
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Rank 4, Net Price, $4,156, Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel
Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel
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Rank 5, Net Price, $7,195, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
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Rank 6, Net Price, $8,040, Kentucky State University
Kentucky State University
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Rank 7, Net Price, $6,364, Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City State University
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Rank 8, Net Price, $4,904, Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
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Rank 9, Net Price, $5,012, Dalton State College
Dalton State College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $6,100, College of the Ozarks
College of the Ozarks
Top 10 colleges in Town by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 100.0%, Chamberlain University-California
Chamberlain University-California
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 100.0%, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 100.0%, Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses
Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 98.6%, United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 98.4%, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
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Rank 6, First-Year Retention, 98.4%, Cornell University
Cornell University
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Rank 7, First-Year Retention, 98.4%, Princeton University
Princeton University
-
Rank 8, First-Year Retention, 98.1%, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
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Rank 9, First-Year Retention, 97.3%, Amherst College
Amherst College
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Rank 10, First-Year Retention, 97.1%, American Public University System
American Public University System
In-state tuition: Town vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Town median in-state tuition is $9,600, +74.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Town vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Town is $15,000 (+13.0% vs U.S. median $13,271). Rank: #3 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank).
Median earnings (10 years out): Town vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Town center around $52,248 (-3.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Town vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 89.6% at the median Town campus (+1.6 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Town median public in-state tuition is $9,600, about +74.2% vs the national median.
Median graduate debt is $15,000 (+13.0% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #3 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank) (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Town are $52,248, about -3.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 89.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+1.6 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 75.6% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 75.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Mount Marty University (96.6%), Wartburg College (96.5%), University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (96.4%), Winona State University (96.3%), Carroll University (96.1%), Marian University (96.0%), Bethel College-North Newton (96.0%), Viterbo University (95.9%), University of Minnesota-Duluth (95.9%), Hastings College (95.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Town, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $42,215 (13 campuses); Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $53,187 (295 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $51,019 (237 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Town is 52.2% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many town campuses are in the U.S.?
This profile covers 1,517 campuses classified as Town in the College Scorecard extract, with about 3,644,971 total reported enrollment.
How much does college cost at town campuses?
Median in-state tuition among town campuses is $9,600 and median net price is $14,971. U.S. medians are $5,512 (tuition) and $9,969 (net price). Town tuition is +74.2% vs the national median.
What do graduates earn from town campuses?
Median 10-year earnings for town campuses is $52,248 vs $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like at town campuses?
Median completer debt at town campuses is $15,000 vs $13,271 nationally (+13.0% vs U.S.).
What NCES locale codes are included in Town?
NCES Town — fringe, distant, and remote town locales. College Scorecard locale codes in this bucket: 13, 31, 32, 33.
What are the top colleges at town campuses?
Top campuses on this page include Chamberlain University-Michigan (graduation) and Bentley University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
How do town campuses compare to other campus settings?
Peer setting profiles include Urban, Rural, Suburban. See the campus-settings comparison table for tuition, debt, and earnings medians.
Sources & related
- All college profiles
- All campus-setting profiles
- Average cost by campus setting
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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