Miami Dade College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Miami Dade College charges a net price of $5,463/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $21,852. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,654, 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, Miami Dade College does not clear its cost — it ranks #65 of 166 Florida colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,463/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $21,852 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,654 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,706/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,252 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$175,972 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Miami Dade College's own numbers. Net price $5,463 × 4 years = $21,852 total. Median earnings $40,654 fall $7,706 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 $21,852 bill in about 2.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Miami Dade College students graduate with?
A median $9,252 in federal loans among completers, or 23% of the $40,654 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Miami Dade College students graduate?
46% finish their degree — 54% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $21,852 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $47,504 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Miami Dade College expensive compared with other Florida colleges?
Its $5,463 net price runs $14,349 below the $19,812 median across the 166 Florida colleges we profile, and $57,396 less across the full degree.