Dartmouth College vs Keene State College
Side-by-side college ROI comparison from College Scorecard data
Verdict
Dartmouth College has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Keene State College at 100.0%. Average median debt: Dartmouth College at $23,262 vs Keene State College at $25,491. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $59,200 vs $52,450.
| Metric | Dartmouth College | Keene State College |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| School Type | Private | Public |
| State | Nh | Nh |
| Avg Median Debt Average median debt across all tracked majors | $23,262* | $25,491 |
| Avg 1yr Earnings Average first-year earnings across all tracked majors | $59,200* | $52,450 |
| Majors Tracked | 20 | 20 |
| Best ROI Major | Computer Science (96/100)* | Quality Control and Safety Technologies (83/100) |
| Best Major Debt | $20,332* | $25,052 |
| Best Major 1yr Earnings | $95,000* | $65,000 |
Dartmouth College has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Keene State College at 100.0%. Average median debt: Dartmouth College at $23,262 vs Keene State College at $25,491. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $59,200 vs $52,450.
Explore More
Completion rates run close at the two schools: 100.0% versus 100.0%. When graduation probability is comparable across both options, the decision comes down to cost and post-graduation earnings rather than degree-completion risk.
Debt loads run similar between the two schools — averages of $23,262 and $25,491 respectively. With debt comparable, the financial decision essentially reduces to the earnings side: which degree, from which school, produces the better post-graduation income trajectory.
Early-career earnings run moderately apart — $52,450 versus $59,200. At the mid-range gap, the ROI math is usually decided by the debt side rather than the earnings side: the school with the more favorable cost structure typically wins the absolute return calculation even when its earnings figure is the lower of the two.
Both schools sit in Nh, which simplifies the in-state-vs-out-of-state tuition question and aligns the regional labor markets students will enter post-graduation. Cross-school comparisons within the same state should weight program mix and employer-pipeline depth heavily — the cost-of-living and labor-market backdrop is effectively held constant, so program-level differences are the differentiator.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2026.