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Is Sweet Briar College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Sweet Briar, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Sweet Briar sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $51,943 helps, but median debt of $27,000 plus yearly net price of $17,758 creates a tighter path. For context, Sweet Briar's net price is about 12% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$25,598
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $2,761 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $11,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$17,758
Median earnings 10 years out
$51,943
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
50%
At Sweet Briar, a typical graduate carries about $27,000 in student debt and earns roughly $51,943 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $307 per month, or 7% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Sweet Briar is a private nonprofit four year school in Sweet Briar, VA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Bridgewater
Bridgewater, VA
Worth-It Score: 59/100
Median net price: $17,800
Private nonprofit 4-year
Emory & Henry
Emory, VA
Worth-It Score: 54/100
Median net price: $19,061
Private nonprofit 4-year
Virginia Wesleyan
Virginia Beach, VA
Worth-It Score: 51/100
Median net price: $19,676
Private nonprofit 4-year
Regent
Virginia Beach, VA
Worth-It Score: 51/100
Median net price: $19,923
Private nonprofit 4-year
Randolph
Lynchburg, VA
Worth-It Score: 61/100
Median net price: $15,921
Common questions about Sweet Briar
The median net price at Sweet Briar is $17,758 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in Virginia? See the most affordable private colleges in Virginia →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →