Miles Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Miles Community College charges a net price of $10,405/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,810. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,862, 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 Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #8 of 18 Montana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,405/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,810 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,862 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,498/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$130,770 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Miles Community College's own numbers. Net price $10,405 × 2 years = $20,810 total. Median earnings $42,862 fall $5,498 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 $20,810 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Miles Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,500 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $42,862 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Miles Community College students graduate?
62% finish their degree — 38% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,810 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $33,565 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Miles Community College expensive compared with other Montana colleges?
Its $10,405 net price runs $3,408 below the $13,813 median across the 18 Montana colleges we profile, and $6,816 less across the full degree.