Menlo College
Atherton, California · Private Nonprofit · 68.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 71/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Menlo College scores 71 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. At $53,630 tuition with a $31,100 average net price, the school occupies a niche as a small business-focused college in Atherton, California - adjacent to Silicon Valley. Average 6-year earnings of $42,500 and a 6.4-year payback period are reasonable against the net price. The 53.5% completion rate is a significant concern: nearly half of students who enroll do not finish. Accounting (24 graduates, $71,067 year-one) and Finance (26 graduates, $69,684 year-one) show that graduates who complete business programs earn well - Silicon Valley proximity lifts salaries substantially. But the completion rate and small program scale (five programs total in the data, with most under 30 graduates) mean the averages can swing significantly from cohort to cohort.
Menlo College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $53,630/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $53,630/yr |
| Average net price | $31,100/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $124,400 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $76,419 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $231 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 752 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $53,630/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $31,100/year, or roughly $124,400 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $25,546/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $37,298/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,750, which works out to about $231 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($42,500) and comes to 0.51, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $25,546 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $27,618 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,103 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,596 |
| $110,001+ | $37,298 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $25,546 net price per year at Menlo - high for the low-income bracket. The 31% Pell grant rate indicates a meaningful low-income enrollment. For low-income students admitted to Menlo, the financial risk is the completion rate: at 53.5%, nearly half of students who enroll and borrow do not complete. Students who do complete in business or finance fields will see Bay Area earnings that can justify the cost, but that outcome is contingent on finishing.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $28,103 per year; those earning $75,001-$110,000 pay $31,596. Middle-income families considering Menlo should run the scenario analysis for both completion and non-completion, since the financial outcomes diverge significantly. For completers in business programs, the Bay Area earnings premium makes the math work. For non-completers, the debt is real without the credential.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $37,298 per year, totaling about $149,192 over four years. At this price with a 53.5% completion rate and $42,500 average 6-year earnings, the aggregate ROI is mixed. High-income families with Silicon Valley connections may view Menlo as a strategic placement - the location access and small-college intimacy are real.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Menlo College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | $74,930 | C+ |
| Psychology | $52,942 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $103,918 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $81,996 | C+ |
| Accounting | $93,619 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Accounting
Accounting is Menlo's strongest ROI program by year-one earnings: 24 graduates, $71,067 year-one, $93,619 year-four, ROI grade B, debt-to-earnings 0.379. Median debt of $26,955 against year-one earnings of $71k is workable. The four-year trajectory to $94k reflects the Silicon Valley accounting market, where Big Four firms, venture-backed companies, and established tech corporations pay premium rates for accounting talent.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance has 26 graduates earning $69,684 year-one and $103,918 year-four, ROI grade B, debt-to-earnings 0.352. The four-year jump from $70k to $104k is the sharpest career progression in Menlo's program data and reflects placement into venture capital support, financial analysis at tech companies, and wealth management firms serving the Bay Area's high-net-worth population. Median debt of $24,500 against year-one earnings of nearly $70k is a favorable ratio. This is Menlo's clearest location-driven advantage.
Marketing
Marketing is the largest program at 46 graduates: $49,788 year-one, $74,930 year-four, ROI grade C+, debt-to-earnings 0.492. The year-one figure of nearly $50k is above average for marketing graduates nationally, again reflecting the Bay Area premium. Median debt of $24,476 against $50k starting salary is a stretched but manageable ratio. The four-year figure of $75k suggests solid career progression for marketing graduates who remain in Silicon Valley roles.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration has 25 graduates earning $50,306 year-one and $81,996 year-four, ROI grade C+, debt-to-earnings 0.492. The four-year figure of $82k is strong and suggests that general business graduates from Menlo find good career trajectories - likely through a combination of the Bay Area labor market and the small-college network effect. Year-one earnings of $50k against $31,100 net price is a workable starting point.
Psychology
Psychology has 29 graduates with only year-four earnings available at $52,942 and an ROI grade of B (debt-to-earnings 0.430). Median debt of $22,750 is relatively low.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 72.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Menlo College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 68.5% |
| Enrollment | 752 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,344 |
A 68.5% acceptance rate with no reported test scores makes Menlo broadly accessible. The small enrollment and low completion rate (53.5%) suggest that the challenge is completion rather than admission. The Silicon Valley location attracts students with entrepreneurial aspirations, but the data indicate that many do not complete the degree.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Menlo's most meaningful differentiation is its Silicon Valley location.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menlo College (this school) | 71 | $31,100 | $76,419 |
| Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | 74 | $21,863 | $65,071 |
| Wabash College | 72 | $24,336 | $69,952 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Westminster University | 70 | $27,094 | $66,215 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
Menlo admits 68.5% of applicants and does not report SAT or ACT score ranges, suggesting a primarily application-based admissions process with limited academic screening. At 752 undergraduates, Menlo is very small. The Silicon Valley location in Atherton is a genuine structural asset: proximity to venture capital, technology firms, and a dense professional network gives business graduates employment access that the Scorecard earnings may only partially reflect. Students who want a small campus experience with direct Silicon Valley exposure will find Menlo's location meaningful. Students who expect the social, intellectual, or programmatic breadth of a larger institution will be disappointed.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Menlo College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $31,100 a year after aid ($124,400 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $76,419 a decade out, the cost takes about 6.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Median debt of $21,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $42,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Menlo College: Common Questions
Is Menlo College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Menlo College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 71/100 on our ROI scale. At $31,100 a year after aid ($124,400 over four years) against $76,419 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 6.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Menlo College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $31,100 a year, or roughly $124,400 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Menlo College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $76,419 ten years after enrolling, roughly $34,619 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Menlo College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 6.4 years for Menlo College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Menlo College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,750, against average earnings of $42,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Menlo College?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.