Harvey Mudd College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Harvey Mudd College charges a net price of $35,924/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $143,696. Graduates earn a median $138,687 ten years after entry, $90,327/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 1.6 years — a 20-year net return of $1,662,844, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Harvey Mudd College's 1.6-year payback ranks #46 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 96% of them, and #16 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $35,924/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $143,696 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $138,687 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $90,327/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 1.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $1,662,844 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Harvey Mudd College's own numbers. Net price $35,924 × 4 years = $143,696 total. Median earnings $138,687 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $90,327 a year of premium. $143,696 ÷ $90,327 = 1.6 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $1,662,844. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Harvey Mudd College students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $138,687 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Harvey Mudd College students graduate?
92% finish their degree. Spread the $143,696 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $156,191 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Harvey Mudd College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $35,924 net price runs $16,019 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $64,076 more across the full degree.