Merritt College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Merritt College charges a net price of $14,021/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $56,084. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,392, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Merritt College does not clear its cost — it ranks #160 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,021/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $56,084 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,392 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,968/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$135,444 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Merritt College's own numbers. Net price $14,021 × 4 years = $56,084 total. Median earnings $44,392 fall $3,968 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $56,084 bill in about 5.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Merritt College students graduate?
26% finish their degree — 74% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $56,084 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $215,708 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Merritt College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $14,021 net price runs $5,884 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $23,536 less across the full degree.