Milan Institute-Merced — ROI, Cost & Payback
Milan Institute-Merced charges a net price of $23,396/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $93,584. Median earnings ten years after entry are $24,879, 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, Milan Institute-Merced does not clear its cost — it ranks #317 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) | $23,396/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $93,584 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $24,879 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$23,481/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,333 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$563,204 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Milan Institute-Merced's own numbers. Net price $23,396 × 4 years = $93,584 total. Median earnings $24,879 fall $23,481 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 $93,584 bill in about 9.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Milan Institute-Merced students graduate with?
A median $6,333 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $24,879 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Milan Institute-Merced students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $93,584 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $170,153 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Milan Institute-Merced expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $23,396 net price runs $3,491 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $13,964 more across the full degree.