Miles College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Miles College charges a net price of $14,271/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $57,084. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,627, 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, Miles College does not clear its cost — it ranks #44 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,271/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $57,084 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,627 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,733/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $31,217 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$371,744 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Miles College's own numbers. Net price $14,271 × 4 years = $57,084 total. Median earnings $32,627 fall $15,733 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 $57,084 bill in about 5.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Miles College students graduate with?
A median $31,217 in federal loans among completers, or 96% of the $32,627 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Miles College students graduate?
16% finish their degree — 84% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $57,084 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $356,775 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Miles College expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $14,271 net price runs $298 below the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, and $1,190 less across the full degree.