Menlo College
- Graduation Rate
- 52% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $76,419 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $31,100 F
- 81% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 68% B-
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 16.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.6 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $16.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,936,999.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduates earn 87% more than the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $16.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Menlo College Matters
Menlo College is a private special-focus institution in Atherton, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Special-Focus Institution
- Carnegie Class
- Special Focus
- Enrollment
- 752
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Psychology
Why students choose Menlo College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 68% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $31,100 a year after grants and scholarships — 81% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $76,419 ten years after enrolling — 87% above the typical college, against $21,750 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.70 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Menlo College has a 10-year earnings average of $76,419 for its graduates. This figure puts the financial outcomes of its alumni in a strong position, especially for a small institution with an enrollment of just 752 students. Graduates can expect a solid return on investment after completing their degree.
The data on economic mobility and success for low-income students isn't available for Menlo College. However, the college’s Pell Grant rate stands at 31%, indicating that a portion of the student body comes from lower-income backgrounds. This suggests some level of commitment to accessibility, though more information on outcomes for these students would provide a clearer picture.
The net price for attending Menlo College is $31,100, which contributes to a median debt of $21,750 for graduates. With a graduation rate of 52%, students should consider the financial implications of their education alongside their likelihood of completing their degree. Those who thrive here are likely to be focused on business and marketing or psychology, fields where the college has established strong programs.
Can I Get In?
How selective Menlo College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Menlo College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Atherton, California, Menlo College offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 68% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 52%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 68%
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,344
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.80
- First-Gen Students
- 40%
- Applicants
- 3,357
- Admitted
- 2,072
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Menlo College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Menlo College is $53,630, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $31,100. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $25,546 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,750 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $53,630
- Out-of-State
- $53,630
- Avg Net Price
- $31,100
- Median Debt
- $21,750
- Pell Grant Rate
- 31%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 44%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $25,546
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $27,618
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $28,103
- Family Income $110K+
- $37,298
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Menlo College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Menlo College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Menlo College earn a median of $76,419, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $60,608
- 8 Years
- $67,691
- 10 Years
- $76,419
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.28x
- Earning > $25K
- 65%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (85)
- 46%
- 100% (85)
- 46%
- 100% (85)
- 46%
- 100% (85)
- 46%
How Menlo Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Menlo College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Menlo College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $31,100/year ($124,400 total). Graduates earn $76,419 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,061,399 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,936,999 (16.6× your investment). The median debt is $21,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 52% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $124,400
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,061,399
- Net Return
- $1,936,999
- ROI Multiple
- 16.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $31,100
- Median Debt
- $21,750
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 52%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $3,583,608
- Investment Income
- $-1,621,169
Top Programs
The fields Menlo College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 68% $78,807 early-career
- Psychology 14% $40,811 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Menlo College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CTraining Manager$125,040 · 6% growthResilient 74
- CProduct Manager$125,000 · 8% growthAdaptable 52
- C-Scrum Master$105,000 · 8% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Menlo College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Atherton, California, Menlo College offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 68% of applicants receiving an offer. The graduation rate is roughly 52%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Menlo College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Menlo College is $53,630, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $31,100. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $25,546 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,750 in federal student loans.
Is Menlo College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Menlo College earn a median of $76,419, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
How Connected Is Menlo College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Menlo College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.70, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Menlo College.
- Woodbury UniversityBurbank, CA · Close peer58% grad $65,668 earn 82% acceptWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Westminster UniversitySalt Lake City, UT · Close peer66% grad $66,215 earn 67% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar size
- Pacific Union CollegeAngwin, CA · Close peer55% grad $70,484 earn 47% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Concordia University Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Close peer49% grad $56,075 earn 69% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Hartwick CollegeOneonta, NY · Close peer50% grad $61,107 earn 70% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Bryan College of Health SciencesLincoln, NE · Close peer73% grad $70,845 earn 67% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Menlo College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Menlo College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.70, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note